The School Education Department (SED) has tightened noose against the private schools for resorting to illegal profiteering noting that these institutions were slapping ‘Hukm-e-Tughlag’ to parents for overcharging admission fees, tuition fees and other charges.
The department has stated that the private school managements are always in search of opportunities to give a hike to the fee in any Head without any plausible justification and “slap this ‘Hukm-e-Tughlag’ to the parents through WhatsApp, SMS, telephonic-calls.”
In wake of this, the joint director central central and north Kashmir districts has warned private schools of North and Central Kashmir districts of strict action for unilateral hike in tuition fees and other charges collected from the parents under different heads.
As per the circular instructions issued by the Joint director, the private schools have been warned to refrain from giving a unilateral hike in fees and remain careful in future, while going for a revision or hike in fees.
“Parents of students studying in Private Schools of Central and North Kashmir districts are openly coming in Social Media, Print and Electronic Media to express their anger and grievances with regard to overcharging of various fees like Admission fee ,Tuition fee and Bus fees collected by the Private Institutions from the students in Brazen violation of rules and regulations and cannons prescribed by the (FFRC) Fee Fixation Review Committee established by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir UT,” the circular reads.
The department has stated that the move has been viewed “very seriously” by the higher authorities and the stakeholders.
“The department has observed that the private school managements have become so arrogant that they withhold the results of the students who don’t pay advance fees of the current month which is yet to finish.
“They don’t bother or feel it necessary to consult the Parent Body, Working Committee or any official machinery to get the hike of charges examined, discussed, justified, and finally accepted by one and all,” the circular reads.
The private schools have been asked to consult the Chief Education Officers or Zonal Education Officers concerned and the Parents Body of that school and move a proposal for any such hike.
“This will streamline the menace of overcharging of fees, exorbitant admission fees as per standard of school. Such fees should be collected as per the facilities provided by school, quality of education, transport facilities, playground,” the circular reads.
The Joint Director has issued instructions to all the Chief Education Officers and Zonal Education Officers of all the six districts including Srinagar, Budgam, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara to mobilize them and re-activate their institutions.—GK
