Expressing anger on managements of private schools and colleges that have been collecting excess fee from students in violation of the guidelines issued by the government in view of the COVID-19, Chairman of the A.P. School Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission (APSERMC) R. Kanta Rao has urged parents to fight the menace by putting their foot down and refusing to pay excess fee.
At a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Kanta Rao said the commission members had inspected 350 schools and colleges across the State in the last three days and found gross anomalies at some of them. It had recommended strong action against 25 schools and 50 colleges, he said.
Taking into account the serious financial problems caused by the pandemic, the government had decided to slash the tuition fee by 30% and issued G,O. No. 57 asking managements of private schools and colleges to collect only 70% of the fee amount. The inspections revealed that a large number of them were collecting excess fees in violation of the G.O.
‘Intimidatory tactics’
He said a few institutions were found to be resorting to intimidatory tactics to fleece the hapless parents in these difficult times, and said the panel would recommend cancellation of recognition of such schools and colleges.
Mr. Kanta Rao said there were also case of institutions without even the basic facilities collecting exorbitant fee. Students and parents had opened up before the panel members and poured out their woes regarding many key issues, he said.
Commission Vice-Chairperson Vijaya Sarada Reddy said the panel members decided to personally verify the facts following several complaints of irregularities.
The managements were collecting fee for the first and final years at the beginning of the academic year, and the students who wanted to shift to another college were harassed for issue of Transfer Certificate.
Advice to parents
She said the condition of classrooms and hostel facility were very bad, and said parents must check these facilities before joining their wards. Some colleges had been teaching courses that did not have the permission of the Board of Intermediate Education (BIE).
She said, besides the current report prepared based on their visit, the commission would intensify the regular inspections and bring to book the erring managements.
Commission member V.V. Narayana Reddy, Prasad Eeswaraiah and Ajay Kumar were present.
