The sum is collected under various heads — ‘building fund' to ‘smart classrooms'
Parents might as well start saving up for their child's school admission right from the time she is born, if the huge sums of donation being charged by city schools currently are any indication.
This year, many private schools in the city are charging anything between a few thousands and a few lakhs of rupees as donation, depending on how “posh” they are. The problem persists across aided, matriculation, CBSE and ICSE schools.
According to the fee receipt issued to a young couple by a popular school in T. Nagar, the total amount charged as “fee” for pre-KG admission is Rs. 39,815. In addition to this, receipts were provided for Rs. 150 towards PTA fund, Rs. 20 towards postal charges, Rs. 200 as orientation fee, and workshop fee for parents (Rs. 200 if one parent attends and Rs. 250 for both).
In effect, the couple paid over Rs. 40,000 for the admission.
“It is a donation. Just that the school cleverly distributes it under various heads. Since we needed the seat badly, we did not ask questions,” said the mother.
She might seem better off if you heard the story of the Shankars, who were eager to put their two sons in a school known for putting less pressure on students. This school in R.A. Puram, now acquiring popularity for some of its novel methods of teaching, had no qualms declaring that a donation was expected right at the time of giving away application forms. The donation quoted was not in thousands, but in lakhs.
“I was dead against paying donation, but as a parent one has many considerations. We did a lot of research and found very few schools meeting our requirements. Such schools invariably came with a huge price tag as they know they are in demand,” said Mrinalini Shankar.
What are these requirements and what pushes parents to pay so much? The responses that parents gave ranged from the quality of education to the reputation of the school. However, no parent was willing to go on record regarding the amount charged by their ward's school as donation or about the reasons that drove them to put their child in a particular school. Shuba, who paid nearly Rs. 50,000 for an LKG seat last year (the receipt said ‘building fund') in a particular school in MRC Nagar, said: “I chose the school because it was known for its emphasis on extra-curricular activities. I thought my child will have all-round development in such an environment. I don't feel all that bad because my cousin who tried in another school this year was asked to pay Rs. 2.25 lakh.”
The school Shuba's son goes to insists that parents pay the donation in cash. “I remember having a hard time withdrawing so much cash. My husband and I had to do it using multiple accounts, over a couple of days,” she added.
Another parent said though he was initially reluctant to pay a donation of nearly a lakh, he changed his mind as the regular school fee was “reasonable”. “I thought the fee matched the facilities, but the donation is clearly unjustified.”
If institutions are collecting huge sums as donation, what do they really spend on? The lack of transparency has only meant that no parent actually knows the break up of expenses incurred by a school. “I see some buildings coming up on the school premises, but I am not sure if my donation went towards that,” said a parent.
Ask schools and they say their highest revenue expenditure is on teachers' salaries. “Since institutions have to go strictly by the Sixth Pay Commission norms, we pay about Rs.20,000 a month on an average to each teacher. But the fees take care of the teachers' salaries,” said the head of a CBSE school, who did not wish to be named. The school head also pointed out that expenses incurred on buildings or auditoriums are capital in nature and should not recur every year.
In that case, the obvious question is whether some city schools run on a profit-making model.
If one were to look at progressive teaching and learning methods adopted world over, LCD monitors or air-conditioned classrooms are hardly considered basic requirements. What really matters is whether a school has well-trained teachers, a healthy teacher-pupil ratio and an engaging curriculum that encourages children to think independently. But sadly, for most city schools, fancy facilities in the garb of infrastructure and ‘smart classrooms' have become unique selling propositions of sorts. The schools have a way of excluding parents who are unwilling or unable to pay donations. Sridhar, who is trying for an LKG seat for his daughter, said: “In one school we applied to, they interviewed my daughter a few days ago. Though she knew the answers to what they asked, she was so scared that she did not open her mouth. The school promised to get back in two days, but we have not heard from them. We have to look at other options, I suppose.”
The Right to Education Act prohibits both — the practice of schools accepting donations as well as interviewing children during admissions. However, nothing seems to prevent schools from seeking donations during admission time every year. And parents continue to pay.
(Names have been changed on request)
Keywords: RTE Act, school education
Inspite of the announcement to collect the prescribed fees by the government, all the schools are collecting the fees fixed by themselves. On the contrary compared to the last year fees this year schools have increased their fees. If we question about it, school management is asking us to take the TC and approach the other school where we can afford education. Unless govt monitors the fees collection, no school will follow the new fees structure. It is like, putting the board trespassers will be prosecuted but none of the prosecutors are punished when trespassed.
What is the use of making rules when there is no accountability on them ?
I think Masoodirafi has a point here! I live in Germany for the past 4 years with my family. I do not work here but I am in the capacity of a student doing a research. My children have started schooling here and I must say that the quality is excellent. The state pays for the school and everything is free! We are already anxious how the situation would change when we get back to India. As academicians our salaries are not going to be like businesspeople or IT experts. I'm not bragging, but our kids, as most Indian kids, are extremely intelligent and skillful. They are in the choir, Ballet and all other activities here. But in India, we have already decided to put them in very simple schools, that would not ask for donations. Yes, our children would miss the education, extra-curricular activities and the quality of education that they have here, which only "posh" schools in India would offer. But then, what to do? I am an Indian and thats my lot!
I think it's the parents who have to put an end to the problem. Why
not admit their children to the government schools? As more and more
parents start admitting their kids to the government schools the
quality of education will obviously improve. Why not pay the
'donation' in a government school? Atleast it would be a 'donation' in
the true sense of the word.It would definitely spark a chain of
reactions. As the demand for good quality education increases, the
government will definitely respond. But we need to show that there is
a demand.We need to create a sustainable model for education and this
is the only suggestion I can come up with.
One complains against what one suffers involuntarily.Your action of
joining the school is voluntary,whatever the cause.You pay the
capitation fee and then complain without even being ready for naming
the school.Are you anyway better than the 'exploiters' who charge
unreasonable fee against rules?You are as self-promoting as they are.
You make a choice,so let you suffer.You have no right to neigh and
moan.It is a voluntary action on your part.The right course would be
not to pay,join heads and rise against the atrocity.That is how evil
ends.It does not end by being a part of it.Your paying,makes the
system strong and invincible.Being a part of the school you are a
brick in the walls of the evil mansion.
Then,what percentage of parents really understand 'what constitutes a
good school?"Do you have any regard for good teachers and good
schools?How can a system that 'exploits' be good?Wow,and you become a
part of that. What a philosophy,brothers/sisters?
Yes,Everybody is telling Government should take action but it is not
govt fault, it is parents fault. In Tamilnadu, a committee was formed
to fix the school fee but no schools are collecting as per the recommendations. Even parents also not asking any question to school and if any one or two parents questions, schools are cornering the kids. So no parents are ready to question and schools are collecting huge money. Even they are not giving proper fee receipts. One more thing we can tell about our government is, which ever public related services need to do from the government, is taken care by orivate (ex. School education) and whichever to be in private hands, is there in Government hand (ex.Tasmac).
More than Government intervention, parents should come forward to make change. Parents need admission at any cost and end up paying the capitation fee. As long as parents are willing to pay, schools will never cease their demand. My son has not got admission in any of the schools blame it on the sibling, alumni and management quota. Also with the RTE act very few seats are open in the "Others" quota. The only option left was to pay the capitation fee and admit my son in a good school. We never went ahead with it and to my surprise ours was the only application for the day that was set aside for not paying the capitation fees!!! Im happy putting my son in a nearby montessori school and let him enjoy these formative years.
Blame the parents for this kind of frenzy. These schools being run by
the academic mafia prey on the greed of spineless parents who neither
have the will nor the initiative to question such loot. Good
infrastructure is imperative. But can we barter values for the so
called world class facilities?
A squandered teaching faculty paid a pittance, made to do nonteaching
chores like maintaining records, distributing stationery and other odd
jobs, what kind of self esteem will it have? I had heard that one of
the prestigious? schools parents gift teachers in cash or kind on
teachers’ day. Parents who don’t give are ‘subtly’ coerced by the teachers, I had heard. The faculty stoops because the institution
stoops.
I have seen and heard these so-called donations for decades. Then, all fought for changes, that never happened. For more than 20 years, money power ruled education system in India but noT even one politicians or statesman could put this matter in the right perspective. Our quality of education is extremely poor when compared to foreign schools/lower primary etcetra but Indians pay 3 to 8 times more! Try to emulate, learn from foreigners, from neighbouring countries and see for ourself - INDIANS ARE BEHIND TIME.
The Central Govt. is reimburshing Children Education Allowance (CEA) for its emplolyees upto Rs.15,000/- per annum. The Officers are also showing this in their IT returns. However, the school authorities who receive the full amount (more than Rs.15,000/- exclusive of donation) are hesitating to furnish a bill in detail. Due to this, the Officers and staff are unable to claim their bill for entire amount, even though the govt. is ready to reimburse the full amount (i.e. Rs.15,000/).
Appears like we people either say "I was compelled to pay" some would suggest we need to introspect and make difficult choice of avoiding such schools who demand donations/capitation fee or such other fee in hefty amounts. Don't you have any other choice than those? why cant you stop such unethical activities? How? Why not try to bring them to knees spending the money for a good cause. Only politicians can put them on right or wrong track, neither administrators nor courts.
I am a parent of 2 children studying in alpha, trichy. Atleast they give a proper invoice / receipt for the amount paid(although we feel that fee is bit higher). But in some other schools in trichy, they just give a small white chit with some random amounts according to parent's status and collect black money every year.
I am not condoning these huge donations either collected legally or through
nefarious means but it is a clear case of demand for good quality education
outstripping demand as Naresh observes in his comment. Many readers here call for Government intervention but given the corrupt state of Government affairs any regulation by the state will only engender more corruption. Since this is a private educational system let us treat this like a market. Two things that bring price down are lesser demand, if Parents chose to stay away from such schools and more competition, if more good private schools open. Alas, both are difficult propositions - the former because of the premium we rightly place on education and the latter because it takes a long time for a good school to establish itself.
The actual problem is that Government is unable to run good schools. There are no rich philanthropists who are ready to start good schools charging reasonable fee. So private business has stepped in. For them it is just business. And for that they will provide air conditioned class rooms and LCD monitors and what not. It is no use of government trying to ban donations. Instead it should spend more money on education and start better schools.
Do we have a scoring scheme to see which school is better and which one worse? If we are sending our schools based on anecdotal evidence of school superiority, we are doing so willingly. While there is nothing wrong with for-profit education, it is unfortunate that most parents equate price with quality. This coupled with stratification of society - only people who cannot afford it send their kids to government schools - causes parents to pay ridiculous amounts in capitation fees. That said, I sincerely believe that higher education - engineering, medical, etc - must not be government subsidised. Education is a fundamental right and the government must continue to provide good, free, school level education. We will always have parents who can afford to pay 50,000 per month for their kids. However, for the most of us, the first option must be free government school education.
Another couple of points I would like to make - 1. We must also distinguish schools that charge a high fee but give you a receipt for the entire amount, from schools that expect some amount of money in black. We might debate whether it is moral for the former school to charge a high fee, but there is no such argument for the latter school because what it does is clearly unlawful. I hope that The Hindu can rate these schools out and shame them publicly so that the authorities are embarrassed enough to take action against them.
2. The article mentions casually at one point that some schools might become "for profit" schools as if that's automatically bad. I really do not know what is wrong with "for-profit" anything. From my car, to my house to my cell phone to my entertainment, most things are provided by "for-profit" companies and I vote for them with my money. Why must education alone be considered different that the mere mention of the word "for-profit" must freeze us in our tracks?
I think parents who say "I was compelled to pay" have to
introspect a bit. As Indians we are all faced with the compulsion to bribe to get some of the most basic things done for home and business. We'd all rather not pay a bribe, but what can we do when someone stands between us and our rightful needs? So most of us justify bribe-giving in this way and there is a case to be made there. But we must differentiate "need" from "want". To those parents who paid capitation fee(a good portion of it in black) I must ask- Is it true that there was really no other choice? Could you not have put your children in a less fancy school which might not have smart screens but they at least operate ethically by giving a bill no matter what they charge? Personally there was a school I very much wanted to put my daughter in, but when i learnt that this school, which wanted to teach my child "value education", wanted money in black, i made the difficult choice not to go there.
The negativity of privatisation. Its not happening only in Tamil Nadu, Its happening in every private schools in India, based on there standards.
Every child irrespective their economic status, caste or creed demands a quality education. When government schools are funded appropriately for good infrastructure and proper training to teachers and providing admission to any child without demading extra money as donations and provide quality education, then parents will reconsider their school preferences. Actually only way to stop this is by limitations on schools and\or by abolishing all private schools by government taking over.
I am also one of the parents of a child who is paying huge sums of
donation for getting admission. At present it has become a prestige
for schools in demanding huge donation as that will boost the image.
Parents are also have no other way but to pay for expecting their
children study in a good atmosphere. In some cases this has become a
wrong decision also. As told by Mr Naresh this is a farce in society.
Even though the committees are formed to control the fees structure,practically this does not happen. Only GOVT has to find ways to stop these schools becoming commercial.
What sort of a norm is this? If money power decides admission and children are put through judgement (in the name of interview), I think it essentially kills the childhood innocence. Forget about innocence of the children, there is absolutely no reason in the part of adults and all in the name of *healthy* competition? I don't see any difference between this and corruption among Politicians and Bureaucrats. Everything seems to be infected!
I wish a strong independent regulatory body overseas the Educational setup in India and ensures RTE is implemented in spirit as well as addressing the needs of Teachers and related Infrastructure. Parents that are decent Tax payers shouldn't be penalized again for their children's education.
Where are we headed to?
My kid will be ready for school in couple of years, I am planning quit my current job, find a part time job and teach myself. That would be her first lesson - Do the right thing even if you have to do it alone.
Please don't use the term donation. Donation is something you willingly give for some cause that's dear to you. Capitation Fees is the correct term.
In case you are wondering what school it is ,it is chettinad vidyashram .My mom recently enquired for my brother kids , it was quoted a lakh for joining school and that too is not so easy to get irrespective of the marks the student he has in cbse exams.This is just not one school every other school has similar request ,some school which have classes only upto 10th or 8th make these demands asking building cost.
The fact that engieering and med-schools demand exorbitant amounts of money as 'donation' is not a hidden fact. But now, the educationalists have stooped even lower than they every could and have started demanding huge amounts of money as donations to even pre-schools? This is really sad. The greed of educationalists in most of the privately owned institutes and schools in the country seem to have an 'unquenchable' appetite. The government should take some action against this unethical act that is going on in the name of education.
I think if govt. wants to take action it can do by string operations. but the truth is part of the money goes to the bureaucrats and politicians so they won't take action even if you lodge a genuine complaint. Moreover in India most of the parents are selfish so they won't even complaint.As long as their child gets admission they are least bothered about moral and ethics.As per the guidelines the school should give admission strictly based on the distance from school and other defined parameters. If Hindu is really interested it can get the full details of admitted and rejected students from the school under RTE act and can go to court if there is a discrepancy in the admission, but I doubt the Indian media has matured enough to do that.
All these troubles will stop if the Government run schools provide higher educational standards than the private schools. I live in USA, almost 90% of US children go to Public schools run by the state. They have very good facilites, good library , good playground, tennis courts, football stadium etc. It is free education upto 12th grade. The public schools are run by the tax money. If India follows this system, Private schools will go bankrupt and will come down in their tuition. Why don't the government do this
Excellent! The government school teachers are paid several thousands of
rupees in salaries and they rush to private schools to educate their
children. The private schools who pay a pittance to their teachers make
enormous profit by getting donations. This is a farce in society!
I request govt of tamilnadu to intervene and take legal action against this kind of school. Middle class are exploited by these schools as the demand is high.
In addition to the atrocious charges, children are expected to already know how to read before taking admissions for the first class. There are interviews, and little children face them - their entire self-worth at stake.
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