Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 28: With parents repeatedly complaining about the schools violating the directions of the Government’s Fee Fixation Committee and withholding of assignment of the students who were unable to clear dues, the Directorate of School Education, Kashmir (DSEK) today took a strong note of the issue and directed the schools to adhere to the directions already issued.
The DSEK said that it received complaints from the Parents Association of Private Schools wherein it was stated that few schools—whose names were mentioned—were not abiding by the Government directives and were compelling the parents to deposit charge apart from the tuition fee.
“A delegation of Parents Association of Private Schools approached this office with the submission that the following schools: Iqbal Memorial School, Bemina, Doon International School, HMT, Delhi Public School, Srinagar, Holy Faith School, Rawalpora, Minto Circle School, Aloochi Bagh, Hat Trick Public School, Zakura, Tiny Heart School, Tengpora, Green Valley Educational Institute, Buchpora and G.D. Goenka Lal Bazar are not implementing the Govt Fee Fixation Committee orders issued from time to time with regard to collection of fee for the session 2019-20 & 2020-21, especially during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic,” an order issued here by the DSEK stated.
The Directorate said that the delegation further appraised that the situation has worsened as the school authorities are forcing the parents to clear their unpaid dues till May 2021 and are also asking for payment of the Annual, Bus fee.
Earlier, Excelsior had reported on the violation of the Government directives by the Iqbal Memorial School, Bemina which had compelled the parents to deposit excess charges and had also withheld assignments of several students.
As per that circular which was issued in July last year, the schools were directed that only tuition fee shall be charged from students every month instead of a quarterly basis for the lockdown period while underlining that no fee hike shall be made during academic session 2020-21.
About the Annual fee which several schools are currently asking the parents to pay, the circular had stated: “if any can be charged monthly on pro-rata basis after schools reopen,” adding that no school shall deny access to online education material/ classes/ continuous assessment to poor/ deserving students unable to pay school fees due to the prevailing situation.
After assessing the ground situation coupled with the complaints of the parents, the order which has been issued by the Director of School Education, Kashmir Tasaduq Hussain Mir directed the schools not to violate the Government orders and adjust the excess charges collected from the parents in the tuition fee.
In case of any default in implementing the Government instructions as mentioned above, the order said, strict action shall be initiated as per the provision of law which includes de-recognition of the school in terms of standing norms without further intimation
A parent said that there have been repeated violations carried out by the private schools to the orders issued by the Government and there is a need for putting an end to it once for all.
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