Ensure transparency: Gautam Buddh Nagar admin to private schools

Noida (UP): The Guatam Buddh Nagar administration has asked all private schools in the district to adhere to the Uttar Pradesh Self Financed Independent Schools (Regulation of Fees) Act, brought in this year to check arbitrary fee hikes by institutes, according to officials. The schools have been asked to prepare their fee structures in accordance with the Act and publish it on their websites as well as share details with the district regulatory committee, headed by the district magistrate, within seven days, the officials said.

The schools have also been directed to not change uniforms before five years and not select only particular shops for parents to buy books and dresses for their wards, as mandated by the Act, they said. The instructions were laid out during a meeting between the administration officials, principals of all private schools and representatives of the All Noida Parents' Association in Greater Noida on Saturday, according to an official statement.

"The fee regulation act is applicable to all schools which take Rs 20,000 or more annually in fees but does not include pre-nursery schools," District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh said. "The management of all schools will prepare their fee structure in accordance with the Act. They should share their fee structure on their websites and also apprise the fee regulation committee about it within a week," he said. He warned action against any school which is found working in contravention of the Act, according to the statement. "No change in school uniform will be allowed within five consecutive academic years.

In case, a school decides to change the uniform, it will have to provide an appropriate justification. It also bars schools from asking students to purchase books or dress from a particular shop. The parents should have the freedom in such matters," Singh said. The Uttar Pradesh Assembly had on August 31 passed the UP Self-Financed Independent Schools (Fees Regulation) Bill, 2018, that seeks to regulate fee structure in private schools in the state.

The statement of objectives and reasons appended to the bill states that it has been brought to the notice of the state government that self-financed schools were increasing fees arbitrarily without consulting guardians of the students in the absence of an effective law. It elaborates that the students and parents have to shoulder unnecessary financial burden, which affects the education of students.