CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced that private schools will not be allowed to increase school admission and tuition fees for students and parents cannot be forced to buy books and dresses from particular shops. However, private schools say that the government is not adhering to its own Act.
Taking a major decision for students studying in private schools across the state, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced that none of these schools could hike their fees for the 2022-23 academic session and these orders would come into force with immediate effect.
In a video message, he said that the managements of private schools would be unable to increase the fees even by a single rupee. He further said that a comprehensive policy in this regard would be formulated in consultation with the parents of students, school management, principals and other stakeholders. Detailed information would be shared in this regard in the coming days.
In another student-friendly decision, Mann said from Wednesday onwards, no school management could force parents to buy books or uniforms from a particular shop. He said the parents should be at liberty to have the option to buy books and uniforms from any shop within the town or city where they reside.
Mann said, "Education has become so expensive and it is now beyond the reach of the common man. All the parents intend to impart quality education to their children but their pocket doesn’t allow it. As a result, parents are forced to either get their wards dropped from schools or resort to some other vocations or provide such education which doesn’t help them to earn a livelihood in the future."
Terming education as the third eye, Mann said the Aam Aadmi Party government is fully committed to impart quality education to each and every child.
There are around 8,200 private schools across the state. Punjab Private Unaided Schools Association, General Secretary, Mohinder Pal Singh says that the state government by making this announcement is not adhering to the Fee Regulatory Act,
2016 which it has enacted and to which an amendment was made in 2019.
"As per the act, private schools can increase upto 8 per cent fees every year and if they have increased beyond that, then the local committee headed by the district education officer has to recommend the hike. Every year, increments in the range of 10 to 15 per cent are given to teachers and other expenses also increase. The government cannot go outside its own Act. If the government notifies the same, then the association will decide the further course of action and could move the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the order of the state government. Already, the admissions for this academic year have been done and classes are to start from April 1," he said.