Hyderabad: Parents have zero hopes on govt defining tuition fee component

Hyderabad: During the academic year 2020-2021, the State government had released GO 46 on fee regulation directing schools not to hike and collect only the tuition fee on a monthly basis. However, parents have been fighting over a year claiming that schools clubbed the entire fee as tuition fee without any concessions.

As the new academic year will begin on July 1, it has once again started the debate of tuition fee across the State. Parents seem to have zero hopes with the government this time, while demanding it to define the tuition fee component (what percentage).

The Parents' Associations said there is no need for further orders as the GO it is still in force. The government should think on how to implement it effectively. They mentioned that there are no expectations for any relief neither from the school managements nor from the administration but demand the government to realise parents are an integral part of the system. They need to be made a part of the discussions and decision-making process.

For many of them, the pandemic has led to income losses and paying arrears along with the ongoing fee demand in schools. Rajesh Verma, whose son studies in class VIII reasoned: "The second lockdown has created additional financial pressure on many parents. Many families had to bear huge medical expenses as they were affected with Covid. If this year the schools do not give relief to parents, many students will drop out."

The associations questioned what action the government took on the 11 erring schools. "Why haven't they withdrawn the NOC for them in case of CBSE and ICSE schools. Why haven't they not derecognised the State board schools yet? Why haven't they done this for almost a year?" questioned V Sharma, Indian Parents Association (IPA).

Further, they said, as per GO 46, schools found erring by the Central Board of Secondary Education and The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) should have had their NOCs, issued by the State government, revoked. Appropriate action should have been initiated against the school managements under relevant Acts or rules. This is what GO 46 quotes.

"Due to the lack of no proper definition of tuition fee by the government, several schools have violated the GO. They keep flouting it. Parents across the State feel that the Education minister is under-seen by the school managements." said Venkat, Joint Secretary, Hyderabad School Parents Association (HSPA).