PRIVATE SCHOOLS MUST ROLL BACK FEE HIKES

THE TIMES OF INDIA, GOA
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2009


Commercialization of Education Had Become Nationwide Problem, Says Activist

Rajeshree Nagarsekar TNN

Margao: While calling upon parents in Goa to demand that the government direct unaided, recognized, private schools to ensure that they roll back the hikes in fee and other charges to a level that is just, reasonable and devoid of an element of commercialization, Supreme Court lawyer and president of All India Parents Association, Ashok Agarwal on Wednesday said that the issue of commercialization of education has become a nationwide problem.



“Writ petitions have been filed in high courts of about 10 states, including Goa, after the historic Supreme Court judgement of April 27, 2004 in the Modern School case which has far reaching effects in the field of school education – not only for Delhi Schools but also for schools all over the country,” said Agarwal whose petition led to the judgement in which the SC categorically held that the government has the authority to regulate the fee in unaided schools.



“The Supreme Court was primarily dealing with the menace of commercialization of education and exploitation of hapless parents by unaided recognized private schools in Delhi through arbitrary fee hikes every year. This judgement is being seen as a radical step to make education in private schools affordable to common man and to encourage integration of children belonging to weaker section in the schools that were hitherto known as elite schools,” he told TOI on Wednesday.



Explaining the significant aspect of the judgement, Agarwal said, “It has finally laid to rest the controversy whether the government has the authority to regulate the fee and other charges of unaided recognized private schools and thus to prevent commercialization of education. The two significant conditions pointed out by the Supreme Court are: (a) a school shall not increase the rates of tuition fee without the prior sanction of the Directorate of Education, and (b) the school shall admit students belonging to the weaker section to the extent of 25% and grant them free-ships,” he informed.



Agarwal added that in the Goan context, it is binding on the government to initiate action against unaided schools who failed to provide their fee structures to the government, despite several circulars. He also called for the formation of a comprehensive national law for regulating all affairs, including fee structures of private unaided schools, besides strongly advocating up-gradation of all government schools to the minimum level of Kendre Vidyalaya to end the prevailing discrimination in the educational system.



Citing the recent cabinet decision to allow schools run by the minorities to have their own managing committees without government interference, Agarwal remarked that the government intends to bring amendments to the Education Act to provide more liberties to the private schools and suggested the presence of at least 50% parents on the managing committee of the private schools to ensure better transparency.



“Right to education is a fundamental right of every child under the Constitution as Article 21-A mandates the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children in the age of 6-14 years. This right, moreover, does not depend on the capacity of the parents to afford fee or not. Therefore, every child whether studying in private or state-run school is entitled to free education. The state should bear the entire expenses even of the children studying in private-run schools,” he opined.
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