Sisodia hails SC verdict on private schools

Warns of strict action against any private unaided school, built on land allotted by the DDA, not complying with order

The Supreme Court verdict on private schools is “historic” and a wake-up call for educational establishments which need to “focus on teaching rather than making education a business”, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, said on Monday.

Mr. Sisodia’s remarks came just hours after the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal of a committee of private unaided schools, located on land allotted by the DDA, challenging a Delhi High Court order asking them to take the government’s prior nod before hiking fees.

Complete transparency

Warning school administrators of strict action if they don’t comply with the judgement, regarding discrepancies in fee structure and admission procedures, Mr. Sisodia said that the Delhi government required complete transparency in the matter.

“This is a historic decision for those parents whose children are studying in private schools...we neither have any personal enmity with private schools nor are we against them, but the government wants to keep their fee and admission process transparent,” the Deputy CM told the media.

“If private schools have some issues with the terms and conditions in their land allotment letters, they can return this land to the government and we can run a good school,” Mr. Sisodia said, adding that the government had not allotted land to private schools so that they could “earn money”.

‘Can’t harass parents’

Mr. Sisodia said that private schools cannot harass parents in the name of fee and asserted that despite the SC’s order, if schools don’t follow rules, the government has several tools to take strict action against them.

The Deputy CM, however, added that the government would support fee hikes if the processes were “transparent” and had “proper rationale” behind the move.

Surplus funds

Quoting a recently-conducted audit by the Delhi government-appointed Chartered Accountants, Mr. Sisodia said it was revealed that most private schools had surplus funds of up to ₹5 crore. “In the audit, we found that many schools diverted their funds. While we have not allowed them to increase fees, 140 schools have diverted surplus funds to their mother Trusts and parallel Trusts,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.

“If they [the schools] have surplus funds, why is there a need to pile up money and harass parents. If they don’t have enough expenditures, why are they are demanding to increase fees,” Mr. Sisodia asked.