School fee regulatory panel of little use: Chandigarh parents

Tribune News Service

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, April 16

Fee Regulatory Committee of the Chandigarh Education Department constituted four years ago has failed to serve its purpose of preventing commercialisation and profiteering in private schools, and has disappointed many parents with its laid-back approach towards such complaints.

A series of complaints filed by parents during the Covid-19 pandemic against fee hike did not materialise because the department failed to act on time. Even though the department is ought to decide the complaints within 60 days, no action takes place till the expiry of even six months.

Sarabjit Singh, a parent who led the campaign against a private school over “fee hike” issue in 2020, said, “Over 200 complaints were filed against the school over the fee hike to the fee regulatory committee, but the department chose to respond after eight months and issued summons to parents. Most of the parents had lost faith in the functioning of the department and backed out. I had to withdraw the admission of my child from the school later on.”

While disposing of a PIL in 2012, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the Chandigarh Administration to develop a fee regulatory mechanism for checking profiteering and commercialisation of school education. After dilly-dallying for six years, the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016, was extended to Chandigarh on April 13, 2018, after approving the nominated members.

After the formation of a fee regulatory committee for Chandigarh, the parents were able to file complaints on issues related to school fee and schools’ indulgence in commercialisation. The Education Secretary (ES) is chairperson and the DSE is member secretary of the regulatory committee, which would consist of seven more members including the DEO. However, retired bureaucrats were adjusted as members in the committee, and no representation was given to the parents or the general public.

One of the important provisions of the Act is that the private schools are required to upload their balance sheets on their websites. Even though none of the schools has complied with this provision, the Education Department has failed to take action against any school despite receiving hundreds of complaints from the parents.

As per Section 11 of the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act 2016, “Any complaint received under this Act shall be scrutinised by the regulatory body within a period of 15 days from the date of its receipt in accordance with prescribed procedure, and it shall be finally decided within 60 days.”

Nitin Goyal, president of Chandigarh Parents’ Association, termed the Education Department toothless with regard to private schools. He said most parents were afraid of filing complaints against schools fearing victimisation of their children.

No balance sheets on school websites

One of the important provisions of the Act is that the private schools are required to upload their balance sheets on their websites. Even though none of the schools has complied with this provision, the Education Department has failed to take action against any school despite receiving hundreds of complaints from the parents.

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