Private schools asked to submit balance sheets of previous years

Private schools asked to submit balance sheets of previous years
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Over allegations of private schools collecting exorbitant fee, the State government has asked managements of all private schools to submit their financial returns in the last two academic years i.e., 2015-16 and 2016-17, in a prescribed format.

Kothagudem: Over allegations of private schools collecting exorbitant fee, the State government has asked managements of all private schools to submit their financial returns in the last two academic years i.e., 2015-16 and 2016-17, in a prescribed format.

Since the government made it clear that it would get tough if the managements furnish false information, the managements are busy seeking the help of chartered accountants.

Talking to The Hans India on Monday, Private Schools Managements Association of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district Sanikommu Brahma Reddy said the government orders seeking financial records of the schools in the last two academic years along with the Provident Fund particulars came to his attention. “The association will make a representation to the government to amend the orders,” he said.

The government took a serious view because of the criticism from various quarters on the exorbitant tuition fee levied and collected. In this context, recommendations made by the committee headed by retired vice-chancellor Tirumala Rao became pertinent. School Education Commissioner G Kishan ordered school managements to furnish the details by September 15. Quoting a GO issued on August 31 this year, he asked them to give details in the format specified.

The district administration has received orders to this extent. But District Educational Officer Vijayalakshmi Bai, who is also holding full and additional charge, will issue orders to Mandal Education Officers on Tuesday.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh issued a GO No. 1 on January 1, 1994 giving clear directions to the school managements on fee structure.

As per the GO, a governing body should be constituted and fee structure should be decided on the directions of the body.

The fee structure should be in such a way that 50 per cent of it should go towards wages of teachers and other staff members, 15 per cent should be spent towards contribution to the ESI, PF and GPF. Another 15 per cent should be utilised for development of the school. Further, 15 per cent should be spent for school administration.

After all expenses deducted, five per cent of the total fee would go to the management. There are allegations that private school managements are looting the poor parents under the veil of providing quality education to their wards.

To revise the fee by 20 per cent, the managements should seek permission from the District Education Officer. The criticism is that they are not seeking permission from the DEO. Even if they get permission, the same is not displayed on notice boards.

Therefore, the government has decided to regulate the private schools’ tuition fee. It made it clear that the schools should collect the fee as per the GO. There are 60,000 students in 130-odd private schools in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.

Ordinary schools have been collecting anything between Rs 4,000 to Rs 15,000 from the nursery to the Class X towards tuition fee, which ranges between Rs 6,000 and Rs 20,000 in respect of private schools with some popularity and it varies between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 in respect of popular schools.

The most popular schools are collecting tuition fee ranging between Rs 18,000 and Rs 30,000 per year.

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