The ‘school fee loot’ will now reach the Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, with the affected parents deciding to launch a postcard campaign.
“Let’s write to CM sir!” is in protest against the delay in submission of a report by Prof. Tirupati Rao Committee and schools raising the fee even before the government panel submitted its report.
The Hyderabad School Parents’ Association (HSPA) has taken up this initiative and has invited all parents and concerned citizens to join them at Begumpet Post Office on April 23. “More than 1,500 postcards have already been written and signed by parents and citizens,” said Ashish Neredi, a representative of HSPA that has been fighting against the indiscriminate enhancement of fee by private schools.
“We want to ask the Chief Minister how and why he does not have time to meet the parents, but has time to meet the school associations,” the members of HSPA said. What bothers them even more is Prof. Tirupathi Rao Committee, constituted to submit a report on the constitution of District Fee Regulation Committees (DFRCs), not submitting its report, which was due on Friday. The committee has now sought extension of time.
“Since deliberations with the schools and parents were concluded well in time, we hope the report will not be delayed inordinately,” Mr. Ashish said.
The parents also allege that the school managements have succeeded again in delaying the process and in spite of pleas by Prof. Rao to submit their final recommendations, the school associations have asked for more time.
Interestingly, Gujarat, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh recently announced new legislations to regulate school fee and this announcement came with little or no pressure from parents in those States.
“In total contrast, there has been a persistent campaign by the parents in Telangana. Yet the government seems least concerned,” the parents said.
They have also demanded immediate stay on school fee hike till the enactment of a new law to regulate school fee.
