Parents protest fee hike

More than 100 parents of students of Gurgaon’s private schools stormed into the district magistrate’s office on Friday, urging her to check the schools’ move to raise fees.

More than 100 parents of students of Gurgaon’s private schools stormed into the district magistrate’s office on Friday, urging her to check the schools’ move to raise fees.

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Fees has been hiked by 30-40 per cent as teachers’ salaries have been raised by 60-70 per cent, following the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations, school authorities claim. The hike is effective from April 1.

Parents, led by Millennium Parents Association, staged a sit-in at the Mini Secretariat and submitted a memorandum to DM Deepti Umashankar alleging the hike was arbitrary. “Many schools have raised quarterly fees from Rs 10,500 to Rs 17,050. Some have raised it from Rs 4,400 to Rs 10,000 despite regular hikes since 2006.... If the Faridabad and Sonepat district administrations stayed the hike, why can’t Gurgaon do the same,” said president V. Goyal.

“There are some instances of irregularities... and many schools have not given the mandatory details.... I have called a meeting of parents, school authorities and the education department on Monday,” Umashankar said.