No one’s happy; parents call it an eyewash, school say they will move court against the ‘unlawful GR’ of state
Anubha Shrivastava, India Wide Parents Association
Fifteen days after the School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad announced a 15 per cent reduction in school fees, a Government Resolution (GR) was issued in this regard on Thursday evening. Referring to the Rajasthan High Court’s order, the GR asks schools in Maharashtra to cut the fees for the academic year 2021-22. Both parents and schools are unhappy with the decision — while the former call it an eyewash, the latter plan to move court against the GR.
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“Schools have to reduce fee structure by 15 per cent for the academic year 2021-22. If parents have already paid fees, schools should either refund this difference or adjust it for the next academic year fee. If there is any issue in the implementation of the order, a complaining parent can approach the Divisional Fee Regulation Committee (DFRC) with their grievance. No child should be subjected to any act of punishment if parents are delayed on fee payments, this includes denying access to online learning, right to appear for the exam and to receive result among others,” states the GR while also citing financial losses suffered by families amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Schools across Maharashtra are being held online since March 2020 due to which several services offered at school are not being used. Following all this. there was a constant demand from parents to reduce the school fees,” the GR states.
First, make fee act strong
Even as the GR talks about responding to parents’ demands, according to the parents, this is just another strategy by the government to sweep the school fee issue under the carpet. “Now school managements will move court against the GR. Once the matter is subjudice, no further complaint regarding school fees will be dealt with. This is exactly what happened last year when the school education minister issued a GR asking schools to not hike fees. The GR was contested in court throughout the academic year,” said Anubha Shrivastava from India Wide Parents Association, which has been fighting against high school fees for a long time.
Shrivastava also pointed to the GR’s directive about approaching the DFRC for grievances. “How is this possible when the DFRC has been formed to address cases falling under the Maharashtra Fee Regulation Act, which itself is a weak instrument. Its inadequacies cannot be rectified with just a GR,” added Shrivastava.
Meanwhile, Sanjayrao Tayde Patil from Maharashtra English Schools Trustees’ Association (MESTA), said, “This is a much debatable decision. They are just misguiding parents. The government has no right to issue any such blanket rule. All private schools are against this and we are planning to move court against this unlawful GR.”
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