When it comes to addressing the problems of irrational hike in fees at private schools the State Government has only lip service to offer to the aggrieved parents. The plan of formation of a committee to monitor the schools arbitrary steps in hiking fee is suppressed in files with no relevance on ground.
Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Geetashree Oraon, after a meeting with private school, principals had instructed to form a committee to keep a hawk’s eye on the schools arbitrary in increasing their fees by ten per cent every year on May 13 but irony is that no further action has been taken in this direction.
Federation of Jharkhand Abhibhavak Mahasangh member Ajay Rai sharing information about the same said, “Despite bringing in light schools' willingness and parents' problem no concrete action has been taken in this direction. The proposal of committee formation is in files gathering dust on the tables on concerned officials. We are raising voice against delay in committee formation but no fruitful result has been witnessed so far.”
Oraon had asked District Superintendent of Education (DSE) Ranchi Jayant Kumar Mishra to constitute a five member committee comprising four members from HRD department and one representative from Federation of Jharkhand Abhibhavak Mahasangh.
Meanwhile, when Mishra was inquired about the delay he replied, “Due to excessive work pressure the plan went out from the priority list. However, the issue is in my mind and we will form the committee soon.”
While, responding to the query on the tentative date for the committee formation he further added, “Hopefully the committee will be formed by the end of this month. I will call a meeting with HRD officials and Abhibhavak Mahasangh members for the same soon and will try to come up with fruitful outcome.”
Besides, increasing fees, on the issue of overloading and plying of worn out school buses on road Oraon had instructed the school authorities to replace the worn out buses with new ones during summer but none of the schools have adhered to the instructions till date.
DAV Bariatu Principal Divya Singh said, “We will purchase the buses soon. Due to some unavoidable circumstances we were not able to purchase new fleet of buses but assure that the work will be done in the stipulated time frame.”
As many as 20 schools were given notice for the replacement of worn out buses with new ones and overloading endangering the life of children at risk.
The list includes -- Delhi Public School (DPS) Ranchi, Jawahar Vidhya Mandir (JVM) Shyamali, DAV Hehal, DAV Gandhinagar, St Francis, DAV Nandraj, Kairili School, Bridgeford School, Cambrian school among others.