Pvt schools told to submit fee details

MOVE COMES AFTER REPORTS OF SCHOOLS CHARGING ADDITIONAL FEE INSTEAD OF TUITION FEE IN VIOLATION OF UT EDU DEPT ORDERS

CHANDIGARH: Following reports of city schools charging consolidated fee instead of tuition fee in violation of Chandigarh education department’s orders on collection of fee during the lockdown, the district education officer (DEO), Alka Mehta, has sought details from schools on fees and fund.

The DEO, in a letter to the principals of all 77 unaided recognised schools of Chandigarh, has sought details of annual charges along with monthly charges including tuition fee and transportation charges via email within a day.

The DEO has asked the schools to certify that they were charging only tuition fee, and collecting no other charges.

This comes a day after media reports that the schools were asking for annual fee, hobby fee, and caution fee, calling it consolidated fee instead of tuition fee in violation of department’s orders.

A parent had also filed a complaint against a Sector 44-based school with the fee regulation body, alleging that the school was charging exorbitant fee.

“The term tuition fee is vague. It is surprising that the schools have been given the liberty to declare what proportion of the consolidated fee is tuition fee, while they claim that the full amount is tuition fee alone,” said Nitin Goyal, president, Chandigarh Parents’ Association.

The schools have also moved the Punjab and Haryana high court challenging UT’s order, the hearing for which is scheduled for Friday.

President of Independent Schools’ Association HS Mamik said, “The details sought by the DEO are beyond her jurisdiction. The case is subjudice in the high court.”