Hike in tuition fee by schools has stirred up a hornet’s nest as parents and political parties have broke their silence over the perennial activity on the part of schools terming the hike as unjustified and taken on whimsical grounds. Even as people are galvanising against the regular hike, schools justify their acts on various grounds all in the name of better education for children.
Notably, schools irrespective of their affiliations seem strikingly united on increasing tuition fee citing inflationary movements of the market, providing for themselves in the absence of other sources of finance. According to a rough estimate, tuition fee in unaided schools increase in the bracket of 10-15 per cent.
“We have to give increments to teachers and since we are not aided schools we have to increase the fee. We impart quality education be it through smart classes or any other methods. So, hike is justified,” said Principal of Surendranath Centenary, Samita Sinha.
Quality education and extra attention to students appear the best refuge for schools to validate their exercise which burns a hole in a parent’s pocket. Schools rubbish the charges of high handedness by claiming to devote extra efforts for creating a better informed student however fail to give satisfactory explanation about concrete measures taken for improving quality of education. Notwithstanding the claims of quality, quantity (read more hours of education) has become focus of school across the capital.
“Quality is definitely what we focus on. By quality we mean that we organise extra classes for students who need improvement, provide extra guidance to students aspiring to compete in examinations like National Talent Search Examination which is organized on all India basis,” said Principal of Oxford Public School, AK Singh.
Contrary to the justifications offered parent’s forum smells a rat in annual increase in tuition fee hike and rues that increase is made without discussing rationale for doing so by willfully hiding financial facts by school management. The Federation of Jharkhand Abhibhawak Manch alleged that schools skip the mandatory exercise of presenting income and expenses before a governing council prior to making changes in the fee structure.
The association questioned the role of Human Resource Deevelopment Department in giving no-objection certificates to schools without verifying compliance of various provisions of Right to Education which also advocates meeting of governing council that features parents as well.
“They get tax concessions so that saves money also. They take money under different heads but they don’t show their statement of accounts. And to avoid getting caught on wrong foot they always bypass the governing council which is rarely called for a meeting. The education department must be asked how they give no-objection certificates to these schools without looking into whether an institution is offering services at no profit and no loss,” said president of the Federation, Ajay Rai.
Political parties jumped the protest bandwagon and sought Government’s plan of action in nailing erring school administration. In reply to the question on arbitrary increase in school fee which was raised by Jharkhand Vikas Morcha MlA, Pradeep Yadav, Chief Minister Raghubar Das had assured the House that the government will strengthen Jharkhand Education Tribunal to address the concern. But Yadav believes that the matter has gone out of the government’s hand.
“I believe that the JET has turned into a white elephant. And now the Government cannot do anything. Therefore, parents need to register their protest and political parties need to own the issue,” added Yadav. Notably, the JET was set up in 2005 with the primary aim of settling disputes between private schools and students however the federation alleged that it is yet to live upto expectations due to red-tapism that has sullied its image.