With school fees GR issue sub-judice, parents say they feel cheated

HC stated that until next hearing no action should be taken against schools for not following GR

Just a month after the Government Resolution (GR) asking schools to reduce fees by 15 per cent, considering the pandemic induced financial crisis, parents feel they have been cheated, as the matter is now subjudice.

The GR was issued on August 12. “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,” it stated, while also citing financial losses suffered by families amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, soon after that, the GR was challenged in the Bombay High Court by school managements. The next hearing is scheduled on September 20. Until then, as per the last order in the case, the court had stated that no action should be taken against schools for not following the regulation.

What was expected from the government

“Schools have started long ago, many parents have paid the fees already. The government clearly had no intention to help parents struggling financially,” said Anubha Shrivastava, from India Wide Parents Association. Clarifying her stand further, she said, “What was expected from the government was to strengthen the Fee Regulation Act, so that parents could raise their fee related issues. Instead they decided to bring in a blanket rule, which we all knew is unjustified, considering varied nature of schools. Now exactly on the same act, the said GR is challenged in court, questioning the need of such a regulation after having an Act to regulate fees.”

Also Read: Mumbai: High fees pushing parents to consider BMC schools

Parents have been demanding amendments in Fee Regulation Act for some time as they complain how it fails to give parents any power to fight against schools over exorbitant fee hikes. “The last government made several amendments to the Act which made it more favourable for school managements. After the new government took over when we raised the issue, and we were asked to provide suggestions which made us hopeful. However, there is still no development on that front,” said Shrivastava.

Another parent, Seema Gaikwad, from Borivli, said, “The government’s actions have always been just an eyewash. They always want to put a show that they did act upon our complaint, but nothing works really. They have replayed the same story from last year when after parents’ complaints a GR was issued to not take action against children whose parents have not been able to pay due to the pandemic. But so many parents faced issues wherein schools barred children from online class, not issuing results, etc.”

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