Private schools oppose fee panel

 Private school managements in the State on Friday decided to oppose and not be a part of the committee formed to settle the issue of fee fixation in private unaided schools.

The decision comes just a day after the government decided to constitute the committee under chairmanship of Commissioner for Public Instruction, Mohammed Mohsin.

At a meeting here on Friday, private school associations under the umbrella organisation, Karnataka Private School Joint Action Committee (KAPSJAC), decided that since the matter was pending in the court, they would oppose the very formation of the committee.

“We will submit a memorandum to the chief minister and minister for primary and secondary education in this regard. The Department of Public Instruction has no right to revise fees,” said Shashi Kumar, organising secretary, Karnataka State Private Schools’ Managements’ Federation.

M Srinivasan of the CBSE Schools Management Association said that there was no point in discussing the issue as it was in the courts.

On Thursday, when DPI officials and private school associations met to discuss about the formation of the committee, the Karnataka Unaided Schools Management Association (Kusma), had made its stand clear on the issue. In a written statement given to Deccan Herald, K Dhananjay, advocate for Kusma stated that it had already challenged the matter in the High Court. “When laws that already impose a rigid fee structure have been challenged by Kusma...we cannot be part of such a deliberation,” said Dhananjay 

Mohsin said: “It was on the direction of the court that the committee was formed. A number of those who have backtracked in the meeting on Friday agreed to be a part of consultations of the committee on Thursday. This only goes to show what their true intentions are.” 

DPI had recently issued a circular asking all private unaided schools to subscribe to a particular of formula of fees given by it. It also fixed the amount for special development fees and tuition fees. All this was greatly opposed by the private school managements.