Fee hike stir: schools slam directive to seek parents’ consent

School principals of unaided (private) schools have reacted sharply to the circular issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE), which said schools will no longer be able to increase tuition fee without taking parents into confidence.

School principals of unaided (private) schools have reacted sharply to the circular issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE), which said schools will no longer be able to increase tuition fee without taking parents into confidence.

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On Saturday, a group of 40 principals met Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. In a meeting that lasted 20 minutes, the schools conveyed their apprehensions about seeking consent of parents in deciding the school fee. The CM assured them that she will look into the matter immediately.

Calling the circular illegal, S.K. Bhattacharya, president of the Action Committee of Unaided Recognised Private Schools, asked for its immediate withdrawal.

Inappropriate action

“It contradicts the provisions of the DSEA 1973. How can the parents decide what the fees should be?” he said. “It is impractical to let parents decided since they do not have any responsibility of meeting the expenditure incurred in the running of the school. They cannot be allowed to interfere in management of the school.”

“The circular was sent on April 16 and the new session had already begun from April 10. What was the point of this circular?” asked D.K. Bedi, principal, Apeejay School, Pitampura. “If they had to make any changes they should have done that before the beginning of the session. How can we change the fee structure now when almost all the students have paid their fee?”