ARBITRARY FEES HIKE: A MAJOR ISSUE

Background on Arbitrary Fees Hike:

School Education is the most important factor of a student’s life. Their parents play a crucial role in providing them with this factor. Considering the malignant situation that all are facing at present it becomes difficult to provide better education. The pandemic has made the country’s economy worse. People unemployed, face a financial crisis and it is ambiguous to say when things will get better. 

Parents give their everything in order to provide their children with a better future. In today’s time schooling is getting more and more expensive especially the private schools. Teaching your children in a private school is not at all an easy task to do. You have to meet the school’s financial expectations every month.

Parents allegations over private schools:

In this Covid times, students are attending virtual classes or online classes. However, the fees paid to the schools is pretty much the same. People are losing their jobs but they are still managing to give their children a good education. The school management does not seem to be concerned about this. 

The Delhi Government has given directions not to hike fees till the time when remains closed and to not levy any charges in the name of annual fees or development fees. 

Some parents have alleged that the authorities have increased the fee w.e.f. August even after Delhi Government’s strict orders.

   “The school is not charging annual or development fees but they have increased the tuition fees. There are some dubious heads mentioned in the new receipts such as operational charges and maintenance charges,” said a parent on the condition of anonymity. “When the schools are closed what are they maintaining? From Rs 9,000, we are now supposed to pay Rs 13,000 just for the tuition fee.”

       Another parent said they sought appointment from the school authorities multiple times to discuss this but there has been no luck. The overall fees had come down during the lockdown after the Delhi Government ordered that only tuition fees can be charged during the period and other heads such as transportation fee, sports fee etc. should not be collected.

       “If the tuition fee has been ultimately raised to almost the same amount as we used to pay before the lockdown then what is the relaxation?” the parent asked. Another parent alleged, “The school has two junior branches — one in Vasant Kunj and one in East of Kailash. How can there be two different fee structures for the two branches of the same school. There should be some parity.”

[NDTV EDUCATION]

Conclusion:

Going through the above statements one can easily agree that the parents’ comments are justified. What are the additional charges for? Do the parents need to pay Rs.13, 000 for the virtual classes? Students are not even using the school’s resources. hey are using internet connection for which their parents have paid.

Fees hike is a major issue. It does not always mean that school management is wrong and the parents are correct. There are always two sides to a coin. However, to every problem there’s a solution- wait till the government’s order.

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