HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Schools Parents Association (HSPA) has expressed displeasure over government’s decision to set up a new committee to consult and review issue of school fee hike.
The association alleged that the Chief Minister’s Office stopped the notification of the new GO for the formation of District Fee Regulatory Committees (DFRCs) after Independent Schools Management Association (ISMA) met Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Members of the association claim that they were kept in the dark about the development — that affects 34 lakh parents of the state — and that they learned about it only when they met the special chief secretary (Education) Ranjeev R Acharya on March 16 at the Secretariat.
However, no response could be elicited from the office of special chief secretary (Education) in spite of repeated attempts. Deputy secretary, S Sumalatha, also refused to comment on the issue stating that she was not aware of the issue.
“The chief secretary told that the CM wants to take a fresh look at the report. Our contention is what about all the discussions and deliberations that have happened till now?” asked Ashish Naradi, coordinator of HSPA. He questioned the rationale behind setting up of a new committee without detailing the flaws of the previous report.
Financial burden rued
“Government is just trying to delay its promise of regulating fee. Delay of a few months means we have to pay exorbitant fee this year too,” rued Sayyeda Nusrath, mother of two primary school children.
Exerting pressure on the government to regulate fee, the association had submitted its recommendations to government last December. The key suggestions included that DFRCs be headed by retired judges, the ‘school fee’ should clearly defined, such committees be formed and that no schools be part of these committees.
“As parents, we feel cheated. The school association is clearly more important than us parents who form a larger part of the community,” said Seema Aggarwal, a parent and member of HSPA. “Our request is that fee hike for this year should be stayed till the new committee finishes its work,” Ashish said.