Maha issues govt resolution to reduce school fees by 15%

Wary of adverse reactions from parents, the Maharashtra government decided to go ahead with its decision to reduce school fees by 15%, despite the opposition from several cabinet ministers. A government resolution (GR) to this effect was issued by the education department on Thursday evening.

Several Nationalist Congress Party-congress ministers run private educational institutions.

School education minister Varsha Gaikwad had on July 28 declared the cabinet had decided to slash private school fees for the current academic year by 15%.

The decision was taken on the lines of the Supreme Court’s (SC) order for reduction of fees for schools in Rajasthan. Last month, the Apex court had asked the Maharashtra government to consider its May judgement to collect 15% lower school fees.

The court was hearing a special leave petition filed by schools against the Bombay high court order dated March 1, 2021 that had vacated the stay on the government resolution (GR) (issued on May 8, 2020) restraining schools from hiking fees for the academic year of 2020-21 in view of the pandemic.

The state school education department also wanted to bring in an amendment to the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011 as the government has no powers to intervene in matters related to fees in private unaided schools. According to the legal advice sought by the department, the government resolution will have no legal standing without the government having jurisdiction to intervene.

Other ministers were, however, of the view that there was no need to intervene in matters related to private schools as they were facing financial issues. They also said that amending the existing fee regulation act was unnecessary, and an order (GR) was enough to implement it. The proposal for amendment in the act could not be approved in the state cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

In its GR issued on Thursday, the school education department referred to the SC order and said, “For the academic year 2021-22, all schools should reduce fees by 15%. In cases where fees were already paid by the parents, the excess amount (15% of the total fees) should be adjusted in the coming months of this academic year and if it is not possible then it should be returned to the parents.

In case of a dispute over fee reduction, divisional grievance redressal committees can be approached and their decision will stand final… No sc management should stop dents from attending phy or online classes or appea for exams in case full or pa fees are pending. The man ment is not allowed to hold their exams results.” “Most vate schools have reach decision in mutual underst ing with parents over fees. have also collected the amount and any such ord likely to create a mess,” sa senior minister, requesting nymity.

Another senior NCP min said, “The proposal for redu 15% fees was not opposed in cabinet meeting. There differences over the way decision needs to be im mented.”

State revenue minister B saheb Thorat said, “Many vate schools are shut for m than one-and-a-half years. I parents are in financial tro we can understand, but if parents won’t pay their then the school managem will not be able to pay the ries of their staff.”

“Issuing a GR makes no s as it will not stand in the c of law,” said a senior sc education official.

There has been a cons demand from parents to re school fees as people ar trouble owing to subseq lockdowns imposed to con Covid-19 pandemic. Soon the Supreme Court order, ents from Maharashtra in ter addressed to chief min Uddhav Thackeray and G wad urged the state to g some relief to parents of pri schools in the state. It was ten on behalf of Indiawide ents Association.