Hyderabad, July 07: The concerned parents, who organised a round table on the fee hike in private schools, have criticised the Fee Regulatory Committee alleging that it was not committed to solving the burning problem.
The members of the Parents Associations’ Co-ordination Committee at a press conference on Monday remarked that the issue was not dealt with commitment by the five-member committee and there was no representation from the parents on the committee.
All India Democratic Students’ Organisation State president S Govindarajulu said: “By proposing the upper limit of Rs 24,000 for primary students and Rs 30,000 for high school students, the committee miserably failed to evolve the categories of fee structure. They have not taken into consideration factors like standards of education, infrastructure, facilities and studentteacher ratio available in each and every school and affordability of common middle-class parents.’’ He alleged that the committee lacked rationale and made a mockery of the legitimate demand raised by the parents.
President of Princess Esin Girls High School Parents’ Association Muneeruddin Mujahid said that many parents were being forced to pay the school fee under threat that they would remove the students’ names form the rolls. “The committee was constituted after the academic session began and it took its own time to come out with a report even after our repeated pleas to the government to issue immediate notices to the schools to stop collecting money from parents,’’ he said.
Some said that the tougher part is the enforcement of the suggestions proposed by the committee.
“The committee’s report did not offer anything better that the Andhra Pradesh Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admissions and Prohibition of Capitation Fee) Act, 1983, which was never implemented on ground. The government should take proactive role and enforce the Act for the benefit of the student and parents’ community,’’ another parent felt.
The parents called for formation of parentteacher associations in all schools for playing a decisive role in finalising the fee structure.
–Agencies–