The government is taking steps to ensure that the law regulating fees in private schools is implemented strictly, Education Minister Vinod Tawde told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
From now on, parents of children studying in private schools can directly approach the Fee Regulatory Committee (FRC) if 25% of the parents have grievances about the fee structure. Earlier, only Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) were allowed to approach the FRC.
Mr. Tawde was replying to a calling-attention motion moved by MLAs Atul Bhatkhalkar and Aslam Sheikh about the unscrupulous fee hike by private schools without taking parents under confidence.
The minister said, “The government has enforced the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011, to control the commercialisation and profiteering tactics of educational institutes. Following complaints about increasing fees, joint meetings were organised between school managements and parents. In addition, we have instructed the government that the school administrations cannot make it mandatory to purchase stationery and uniforms from the school.”
The minister said the Act has been enforced throughout the State from December 1, 2014. “Since the complaints from parents about fee hike are constantly pouring in, the government appointed a committee under retired High Court Justice V.G. Palshikar on May 6, 2017. The committee submitted its report to the government on December 6, 2017, and measures will be taken according to its recommendations,” he said. The committee recommended that the condition of 25% parents coming together be introduced in the law.
Mr. Tawde also urged parents to participate in PTA meetings. “If the PTA is strong, there will be no irregularities in schools,” he said.
