Private schools not happy over fee hike decision, say we were not in loop

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Jalandhar, March 31

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s decision to impose restrictions on private schools stopping them from raising fee, has been met with criticism from the schools in the district. Many are of the opinion that while the Supreme Court directions on the issue last year had laid the matter to rest, the new decision has once again raised the controversy. Many schools said the regulation would adversely affect schools which are abiding by the existing fee mandates.

The Punjab Regulation of Fee of Un-Aided Educational Institutions Act, 2016, mandates that schools may hike fee by no more than 8 per cent annually.

The apex court had allowed private unaided schools in Rajasthan to collect 100 per cent school fee amid the Covid-19 pandemic through six monthly instalments from March 5, 2021. A few days later (in March 2021 itself), the Punjab and Haryana High Court also mandated that the interim arrangements made by the Supreme Court on collection of school fee would be applicable to Punjab and Haryana as well.

Rashmi Vij, Principal, Police DAV School, Jalandhar, said, “The fee regulatory Act mandates that no more than 8 per cent hike is to be effected by schools and the schools like ours were already abiding by that. Ours is a welfare school. Due consideration was given to all such cases from our schools. While the Supreme Court already decided on the matter last year, now a new controversy has been started.

“It also raises questions as to why private colleges and universities are not being taken into the decision’s ambit. Schools are making a valued contribution to society and not all schools are business houses. We have to ensure annual increments for staff as well. While such decisions could be made for exploitative establishments, many law-abiding schools will be adversely affected.”

Jatinder Singh, Principal, MGN Urban Estate, said, “I feel the government should have at least consulted the stakeholders who were going to be adversely impacted. Every year, we provide increments to staff to sustain them. The fee regulatory Act already makes the rules amply clear. We have never charged over 8 per cent hike in tuition fees. Every year, we have to ensure increment and DA hikes without fail, with no funding from the government. This will have a major impact.”

Jatinder Singh added: “I agree with the government’s decision that no school is supposed to force parents to buy books, stationary or uniforms from school. Our school has a tuck shop where buying stuff is optional. We have never imposed and parents are free to buy from anywhere.”