JOIN USSchools warned against taking donations
He was addressing a press conference at his office on Saturday. The Education Department will take immediate action against private schools that admit students before the permitted date and/or accept capitation fees, he added.
The Education Department has sent a notice insisting that private educational institutions follow the guidelines set by the Karnataka Education Act and the Education Department, while running schools, but to no effect.
“It has come to our notice that several institutes run schools with a commercial mindset and for their own benefit,” said Gowda. If any educational institute violates the Uniform Entrance Rule and the Rule for Collection of Fees, a criminal case can be booked, fine imposed and even imprisonment imposed on the institute as per the Education Act 1983 Column 51(2) and 125, the officer warned.
“Best of all, the institutes should put up boards declaring that they do not collect any donation and follow the claim,” he advised. The Department has discovered that 25 to 30 per cent of the private educational institutes in the taluk violate this rule. It has also taken strict action against such institutes. If parents complain to the Department that they have been forced to pay extra fees, action will be taken against such schools, he added.
Committee formed
Three committees with three members each have been formed to invigilate over the private educational institutes. The teams have already visited all the 82 institutes in the taluk. Notices have been issued to aided and unaided institutes failing to follow the rules.
“Most such institutes have not responded to the notices, but some have promised that steps will be taken very soon to handle the problem and act legally,” he explained.
School uniform, ties, shoes, note books and stationery are not to be sold in schools. The schools or institutes are also not permitted to suggest any specific shop or store from which to purchase such materials.
Reservation for children belonging to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, backward classes and minority communities is compulsory. Receipt should necessarily be given for the money received as fees, Gowda mentioned.
Compulsory education
“According to Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, education is a fundamental right. Also, children between six and 14 years of age should be provided free and compulsory education from Class one till five, according to the Right to Education Act 2009. No student may therefore be refused admission into any educational institute,” the officer explained.
Information and Broadcasting Department assistant director G Himantharaju, Education Department gazetted executive Kadiraiah were present at the press conference.
Uniformity in fees and admission
The Department has taken action in view of many schools violating rules with impunity. According to government circular C4(6) leave 11/2011-12 CPI 200127/1/2001, primary and high schools should reopen on May 29 of every academic year. But some schools reopen earlier, and complete the admission process in March-April, instead of in June as required.
Many schools have already put up boards declaring that the admission process was over. Some have displayed boards carrying the announcement that a few seats were available.
According to a government circular of 2006-07, all unaided schools are permitted to charge uniform donation or admission fee. According to the circular, the annual fee chargeable to a student is determined by adding the total salary bill of the teachers in the previous year and 30 per cent of the salary bill as the establishment cost, and dividing the sum by the number of children admitted by the school in the previous year.
According to the government rules, in aided schools, students of upto 6-7 standards cannot be charged any fees except Rs 30 as non-tuition fee and special development fee of Rs 500. Government schools are allowed to charge only Rs 30 as non-tuition fee upto Standard VII. From Standards VII upto Standard X the fees chargeable are Rs 150 as non-tuition fee and Rs 500 as special development fee.
Students failing in Standards VII, IX and X are charged Rs 4, Rs 5 and Rs 5.50 per month respectively as non-tuition fee for 10 months of the year. Non-aided schools can only charge Rs 30 as non-tuition fee of Rs 30 for Standards Vi and VII, and Rs 150 from Standards VII to Standard X.
Action will be taken against educational institution on the complaint of parents who are inconvenienced during the admission process of their children. The parents can call up the BEO on mobile no. 94806 95268. They can also personally visit the BEO’s office to register a complaint. Action would be taken, ensuring that there is no impact on the child’s education, says Nagaraja Gowda.