The Karnataka Unaided Schools Managements’ Association (KUSMA) has raised objection to the circular issued by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) on the formula to fix fees.
The DPI, in a circular, stated that private schools should charge fees that include only the tuition fee, term fee and the special development fee.
A. Mariyappa, secretary of the association, said circulars were not laws. “We will not abide by the fee formula fixed by the DPI. The case about fee structure is still in the High Court and we charge fees based on the expenses that we incur,” he said after a meeting with the members of the association.
Mr. Mariyappa pointed out that KUSMA members raised the issue of irregularities in the release of fee reimbursements for seats under the RTE Act quota in private schools.
“Apart from the delay in release of fee reimbursements, the government is also releasing the fee in an unscientific manner. Some schools have received reimbursements as low as Rs. 400 per year per child,” he added.
V.R.N. Reddy, vice-president of the KUSMA, said that though the government had not kept its promise to resolve the fee reimbursement issue by January.
The office-bearers of KUSMA briefed the members about the arguments presented in the Supreme Court by the State government and private managements in connection with the case on the State’s 1994 language policy. “The judgment is likely to be delivered in two week’s time. This will provide us clarity on what the medium of instruction in schools should be. We are optimistic that the judgment would be in our favour,” Mr. Reddy said.
