A delegation of Jharkhand Parents Association (JPA) on Wednesday met Ranchi Deputy Commissioner (DC), Chhavi Ranjan, and submitted a list of schools charging arbitrary fees from students during the Corona pandemic period. The delegation headed by JPA president Ajay Rai urged the Deputy Commissioner to take action against such schools. Later, talking to media persons, JPA president Rai said that they have submitted the list of schools that are making arbitrary recovery from students in the name of increase of tuition fees, development fees and other charges. Rai said that the DC went through the JPA’s grievances and assured them of taking action against such educational institutions.
The schools included those affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and state board.
Rai said, “Last year due to the corona pandemic and lockdown the state education department had issued a directive restricting schools from increasing their tuition fees. This year a similar situation is prevailing, in such conditions schools should not increase fees.”
Rai also said that as per Jharkhand Education Tribunal Amendment Bill 2017, schools have to constitute a fees regulation committee comprising parents’ participation. As per the committee recommendations, schools can make an increase of ten per cent fees hike within the period of two years. However, none of the schools are following committee recommendations.
Rai further said that the DC Chhavi Ranjan said that no school can increase the fees of its own. He also talked about forming a committee to investigate all the affiliated schools in the capital.
The delegation also requested the district administration to take action against such schools, urging the DC to issue a directive so that private schools stop charging arbitrary fees which can bring relief to students and parents during this corona pandemic time.
Rai had also informed the Deputy Commissioner that private school managements do not comply with the notification issued by the Jharkhand Education Tribunal.
The delegation included parent representatives including Vikas Kumar Sinha, Ajit Kumar Mishra, Naresh Mahto, Dharmanath Kumar, Pankaj Kumar Pandey, Satpal Kaur, Sarabjit Singh, Arun Goyal, Rajesh Kumar, Yogendra Paswan, Gunjan Jha, Anjana Gupta, Amit Kumar, Kumud Jha, Shraddha Devi, Rita Devi and others.
JPA prior to meeting DC had earlier, made representation to state chief minister, education minister and has even knocked the door of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), urging the Commission to take action against private schools which have increased the tuition and other fees during Covid 19 pandemic.