Parents seek policy to check ‘fleecing’ by private schools in Himachal

Tribune News Service

Shimla, October 14

The parents of the students of private schools in Himachal have urged the state government to formulate a policy to check fleecing by private schools.

Claiming that some schools are taking 80 per cent of the charges in the name of tuition fees, the parents rue that it is adding additional burden on them in times of Covid 19 pandemic when the schools are closed and only online teaching is going on.

“We understand that the schools have to pay salaries to teachers. We are willing to pay the amount needed for the salaries and maintenance of schools. However, some schools are compelling us to pay the second instalment,” says a parent seeking anonymity.

In some schools, the parents have sent joint representations for waiver of second instalments citing reasons that there is a cut in the salaries of most of the parents, some have lost jobs while the businesses of others have crashed, he said.

As per the notifications issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, schools cannot hike fee without conducting the general house but the same has been done in a large number of schools, said convener of Chatra Abhivayak Sangh (a body of parents of students studying in private schools) Vijender Mehra.

“We have lodged protests against the excessive fees charged by private schools and sought amendment in the Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions (Regulation) Act 1997 which is silent on fee structure,” he stated.

“The other fees which should have been waived off have only been deferred as per the government orders while some schools have asked for the second installment and we are apprehensive that the schools would put additional financial burden on parents at the time of results,” he added.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.