HYDERABAD: Are city parents fighting a losing battle against fee hikes in schools? It does seem to be the case with a school obtaining a stay order on the government order (GO) that restricted fee hikes in private schools. Now, parents are gearing up for the worst: higher fees in the next academic year.
Parent associations admit they are headed for a long drawn battle which started last year when one school after the other started hiking fees unreasonably. Widespread protests had led to the government issuing an order last August barring schools from increasing fee without the permission of the District Fee Regulatory Committee (DFRC). And just when parents thought that things would fall in place, two schools moved the court.
Earlier this week, a stay on the GO restricting fee hike was obtained by Niraj Public School which had approached the HC. The court has asked the secondary education department, DFRC and school managements to submit their views before the bench in a month’s time.
Legal experts note that the stay on the GO would make the recently commissioned DFRC defunct and parents fear that the school managements will charge exorbitant fees for the coming academic year, admissions for which have already started. Many schools had earlier announced a 20 to 25 per cent fee hike for the coming academic year, 2010-11.
According to parents who have been fighting it out with managements, the stay has come as a rude jolt. “Since the GO is now under interim suspension we might have to surpass many more hurdles. The schools which increased their fee may now penalise parents who have not paid up,” said a parent. Many schools, including Niraj Public School, had moved the court against parents who had not paid the fee.
Parents are even worried that the school managements will now take the stay order as a pretext for punishing students who are still to remit the increased fee. “Many managements prevented their students from writing internal exams just to settle scores with agitating parents. With the GO under suspension for now we are worried that schools might harass our children,” said a parent.
Even officials of district administration who had earlier sent notices to erring schools expressed their helplessness in helping the parents out. “The DFRC will not be able to take any action against schools as a stay order has been obtained on the GO,” said Navin Mittal, district collector. He, however, said that efforts are being made to file a counter within the time specified. The district administration had served notices to over 10 city schools for violating the GO. Meanwhile, legal experts said that the parents will also have to present their view before the court during the next hearing.
Nevertheless, some parents do not feel that they are fighting a losing battle. “In fact we are even prepared to take the fight to the Supreme Court, if need be, since the GO has been framed according to the SC guidelines,” said a parent.
Meanwhile, senior officials of secondary education department maintained that the GO is effective even now as the court order pertains to only those schools which had approached the bench.
HSPA welcomes the above press article (freedom of speach) but, we however re-instate that
1. Parents consitute the major portion of our society & includes the law makers, teaching faternity, politicians, employees ... in short the people of this counrty. How can the majority be in loosing ground when the fight is for the basic right to be set right ?
2. When government decides to close down over 3000 odd schools across the state, theres a hue & cry by politicians across the parties & why not on the unjustified hike year on year by school ?
3. Is the government trying to promoting commercialisation aspect in schools by these acts ?
4. Has the law gone blind to hear & talk in such a language as stated in a recent case that "it has become a fashion for few parents to form association & go against schools?" Is this judge not a parent & doesn't feel that its his duty to pass on effective & reasonable education to his children ?
5. Raise is inevitable, we're only demanding transperancy in education system & stop profiteering.
6. HSPA is working with many other associations across the country & we're committed to take up with issue to what every highest level it needs to be.
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