K'taka pvt schools find fault with govt fee structure

Private schools management across the state have raised objection to the circular issued by the Department of Public Instruction regarding mandatory declaration of fee structure

As per the notification, the private unaided schools have to publish their fee structure for coming academic year by December 31 on department website. But in a representation submitted to the principal secretary to primary and secondary education, the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka has raised objection for many of the clauses in fee structure issued by the department.

The Association has said that they were open to declare the fee structure, only if department addresses the issues raised by them. Many unaided schools which are self-financed impart “high-quality education” and they should be allowed to charge their own fees, the representation said.

D Shashi Kumar, general secretary of the Association said that the schools were ready to declare the fee, only if the issues raised by them are addressed. “We have pointed each of the issue. For example, fee fixed for extracurricular activities is rigid and impractical. Until department fixes such issues we cannot declare per child expenditure,” said Shashi Kumar.

As per the fee structure issued by the department, apart from recurring costs, school managements are allowed to charge an additional fee that differs based on the location — ranging from 70% of the recurring fee in gram panchayat and town panchayat limits to about 100% in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike limits. The special development fee is Rs 2,500 and schools also are not allowed to hike the fees by more than 15% every academic year. “We demand for introduction of common fee and not the fee based on location of the school,” Shashi Kumar said.

The school managements have also questioned the 15% cap on fee hike, terming it not acceptable and not sustainable. “Schools are not allowed to charge fee for students admitted under RTE quota and even expenses of such children falls on parents of other children who have not got admission under RTE quota. We have demanded to remove this unfair cap on fee hike,” added Shashi Kumar.