A month after forming panels, no action against private schools in Mumbai on fee hikes

A month after the Maharashtra education department formed two committees to address complaints with respect to fee hikes in private schools, the department has still

A month after the Maharashtra education department formed two committees to address complaints with respect to fee hikes in private schools, the department has still not acted on a single school in the city.

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An official from the education department said, “The work of the committees is getting a bit delayed due to the Covid-19 situation and the resultant restrictions with respect to travel. However, officials are working on the issue and will give a report soon.”

Over the past few months, several parents have taken to social media to raise their concerns on unjustified fees in private schools across the state. Several disgruntled parents also participated in the Thali Bajao protest organised by the Forum for Fairness in Education, a city-based non-government organisation, on October 10.

With no action against private schools despite several complaints, parents said the education department is not helping address their grievances. “In our school, a fee hike is made even as majority parents have opposed the move. When we objected, the school threatened to remove our children. Complaints made to the education department have gone in vain,” said the parent of a south Mumbai-based school.

In a circular issued by the office of the deputy director on September 16, two committees of department officials were formed to look into the complaints of parents from different schools.

“While private schools have the powers to fix their own fees as per the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees Act) 2011, the act has set some rules with respect to a cap on the percentage of fee hike, and the duration after which it can be imposed. It has also laid down the procedure for its approval by the Parent Teachers Association. However, some parents have alleged that schools are not following these norms. Hence, we have asked for an inspection of such schools to verify their documents,” said an official from the education department.