‘State should scrap or modify fee act’

In a state-wide protest against the new legislation, the Maharashtra English School Trustees Association submitted their demands to the state school education department

Since schools already have parent-teacher associations (PTAs) to regulate fees, the state must scrap the Maharashtra Educational Institutes (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011, or modify the law, trustees of English-medium schools in the state have demanded.

Schools said they are finding it hard to make ends meet. (HT PHOTO)

In a state-wide protest against the new legislation, the Maharashtra English School Trustees Association submitted their demands to the state school education department.

Between admitting students from economically weaker sections to the seats reserved under the Right to Education (RTE) quota and the new fee regulation act, schools said they are finding it hard to make ends meet. “We have to provide free education to 25% students and at the same time, the Act has put restrictions on hiking fees,” said Rajendra Singh, zonal head of the association.

Singh said that the reimbursement amount fixed by the government for RTE students is not sufficient and needs to be paid within a month of admitting the child.

Education officials said they are looking into the demands. “As the new fee act has already been enforced and can only be amended. The education minister needs to take a call,” said BB Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai region.

Some provisions in the fee law:

Schools will need PTA executive committee nod before fixing fees

School management must submit a proposal for fees of the new academic year to the executive committee at least six months in advance. The executive committees consist of the PTA members selected through a lottery.

If the difference between fees decided by management and approved by the executive committee is not more than 15%, then the fees approved by the executive committee will be binding.

Approach divisional fee regulatory panels :

If the difference between the fees proposed by the management and executive committee is more than 15%, the management may appeal to the divisional fee regulatory committee, who shall decide the appeal within 90 days. While deciding the appeal, they may grant a stay on the proposed fees.