Amid protests by parents, state Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday promised to set up a regulatory authority to monitor functioning of private schools in Punjab, if voted to power in the 2017 assembly elections.
In a statement issued here, Amarinder said education reform was on the top of his priority list and he would also ensure that private schools do not fleece poor parents. The former CM said he had been approached by hundreds of parents from across the state, personally as well as through telephone and social media, seeking his intervention to end the “loot and exploitation” of the parents by the managements of the private schools.
Quoting Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) guidelines, he said no extra fees could be charged without parents’ consent and all the money earned had to be put back for further enhancement of educational facilities.
He also appealed to the managements of private schools to ensure they do not overcharge the parents as they were very much a part of the same society. “Please ensure that you charge reasonable amount of money only so that people do not feel that they are exploited and extorted,” he urged managements of private schools.