Somerville School takes back fee hike notice

Somerville School in Greater Noida has withdrawn its circular asking parents to pay hiked tuition fee in order to implement the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations related to teachers’ salaries, reports Kapil Datta.

Somerville School in Greater Noida has withdrawn its circular asking parents to pay hiked tuition fee in order to implement the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations related to teachers’ salaries. It has now issued a fresh circular, accepting fee as per the old structure.

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It had earlier told parents to wait for the new fee structure to be calculated. Other prominent schools of Noida and Greater Noida have also deferred the fee hike till the next academic session.

Hindustan Times had reported on October 11 about how parents were up in arms about the schools’ decision and were planning to start a protest from October 13.

District Magistrate Sharvan Kumar Sharma said, “We have not received any directions from the state government for the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission so far.”

Somerville School (Greater Noida) principal Mary Thomas told Hindustan Times on Monday, “Fresh circular issued by Somerville school stated fees at the existing rate for the third quarter will be collected on all working days at the times already specified, from October 15 to October 31. It may be noted that the school offices will remain closed on October 28 and 30 for scheduled holidays. The above has been found necessary as no decision has been taken yet about the revised fee structure.”

Delhi Public School administrator Paul Thomas said, “The managing committee is yet to take a decision on the fee hike. We have not issued fee hike circular to students, though we are planning a hike. Most probably if any hike would be necessitated it would be from next academic session.”

Ryan International School, however, said that they have issued the fee hike circular but decision of implementation would be done keeping the decisions of other schools and government order in mind.

Amity international School, Cambridge School and Vishwa Bharti Public School management too has decided to hike the fee from next academic session only.

Greater Noida’s Lok Kalyan Samiti general secretary Ramesh Negi spoke to Hindustan Times about it. “The Central Pay Commission revises the pay structure of government officials after a gap of more than 10 years and the linkage of fee hike to ‘pay commission report should imply that the fees remain at this level for the next 10 years. We are sure this will not be the case. That makes this decision of fee hike all the more unfair,” he said.

The Samiti had also protested the fee hike and given written protest to Somerville School.

In Noida, the District Students’ Guardian Association representatives, led by Anoop Khanna, protested the fee hike and launched an agitation.

The agitators submitted a memorandum to City Magistrate, Somerville School and other school managements requesting they withdraw the fee hike announcement.

“If fees are hiked parents will protest at such school gates and will not allow the school to function till recall of fee hike announcement,” said Khanna.