Fresh show-cause notices issued to 79 pvt schools

CHANDIGARH: The fee regulatory body of Chandigarh has issued fresh show-causenotices to all 79 privateschoolsofthecity, district educationofficeralkamehtasaid on Tuesday.

Theschoolshavebeenaskedto send compliance reports before July4regardinguploadingofbalancesheetsonline, alongwiththe undertaking that they charged only tuition fee for the last academic year.

This is the second round of mass show-cause notices issued to theschoolsfornon-compliance of the provisions of the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, 2016. Previouslyonmay26,51private unaided schools of Chandigarh were asked to explain their position within seven working days.

Thenoticeswereissuedbythe DEO, whoisalsothemember-secretary of the fee regulatory body. “Some schools have been issued two show-cause notices, first to upload the balance sheet online and the other oneto complywith the directions regarding charging of only tuition fees. We have also asked schools to clarify that theyhavenotincreasedthefees.”

Thenoticesread:“theschools still failed to comply with the instructions of the fee regulatory bodyandcontravenedtheprovision of act despite so many notices and reminders.”

The notice further demanded that acompliance report regarding the provisions of the act be sent before July 4, categorically stating that “no further chance will be given and the matter will besubmittedtothefeeregulatory body for the penalty.”

The standoff between the UT education department and private schools started whentheut directed the schools to defer the collection of school fees during the lockdown period. The schools,however, ignored the directive saying they won’t be paying salaries to their staff unless they were allowed to collect fees. Later, invoking the fee regulation act, Mehta asked the schools to upload their balance sheets online.

Aspertheact, whichwasnotified in 2018 in Chandigarh, if any school contravenes the provisions, it shall be punished with a fine between ₹60,000 to ₹4 lakh depending on the number of violations and the level of school.

HS Mamik, president, Independent Schools Association (ISA), said: “Thematterissubjudice and the education departmentshouldbepatientandawait the decision instead of issuing notices. It seems that the department has extended vacations in governmentschoolsandhence, is free to spite the private schools.”

HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SEND COMPLIANCE REPORTS ALONG WITH UNDERTAKING THAT THEY CHARGED ONLY TUITION FEE BY JULY 4