Six reputed schools in the city are under the scanner of government authorities for illegal fee hikes.
The District Education Regulating Authority (DERA) headed by Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner G N Shivamurthy on Saturday instructed the Block Education Officers (BEOs) of the Bengaluru South Zone to issue notices to the five schools.
The institutions are: Orchids The International School and Baldwin Co-education Extension School, Rajarajeswari Nagar (BEO South 1); Baldwin Girls’ High School, Hosur Road, and Baldwin Boys’ High school, Richmond Road (BEO South 3); and EuroSchool, Whitefield, and Gopalan International School, Hoodi, (BEO South 4).
The deputy commissioner took action following complaints from a number of parents. Representatives of the schools attended the hearing conducted by the deputy commissioner in the presence of the deputy director of public instruction (south) and other officials.
As per the DERA orders, the BEO concerned will inspect the schools again and receive complaints from parents about the fee hike. Parents will have to produce the fee receipts. If the BEO finds lapses during the investigation, s/he will serve a notice on the school, seeking an explanation for the fee hike. Based on the BEO’s report, the deputy commissioner will issue further orders.
This reporter tried to contact the representatives of the above-mentioned schools for their version of the story, but there was no response.