HYDERABAD: The State Department of School Education continued sending notices to private schools for violating the provisions of GO No 46, issued by the government, that prohibits the hiking of tuition fee and the collection of any other fee, for the second on Friday.
On Friday, the government issued notices to two schools in Hyderabad — Narayana Group of Schools and Oxford schools — and one school in Malkajgiri for flouting norms of the GO, taking the total number of schools which received notices to 27. On Thursday, the Education Department had issued notices to 24 schools. The other Hyderabad schools that received notices include Niraj Public School, Meridian School, Geetanjali School and Jubilee Hills Public School.
“Some schools were sent notices as they were collecting the fee biannually, although the order clearly mandates that tuition fee should be collected on a monthly basis,” said Hyderabad District Education Officer (DEO) B Venkata Narasamma. “A few other schools were collecting fee in addition to the tuition fee, and that too is a violation of GO 46,” the DEO added.
She also said that upon receival of any complaint, the government would serve show-cause notices on such schools. “As on Friday, we have received two complaints from parents and both the schools have been issued notices demanding explanation,” she added.
According to the sources, Sancta Maria International School and Glendale Academy were among many other schools from Rangareddy district to receive notices. However, the officials refused to give a full list of the schools, citing the need for them to maintain confidentiality. “If parents complain, we will inspect the issue and serve a show-cause notice on any such school,” said an official from the office of the DEO, Rangareddy.
FGG urges Guv to order probe
Forum for Good Governance (FGG)Secretary, M Padmanabha Reddy on Friday urged Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan to order an inquiry by the DG of Vigilance and Enforcement into the allegations that the schools have been increasing tuition fee every academic year. Reddy wrote to the Governor stating that many schools are resorting to mandatory sale of school uniforms, bags and other accessories on their premises. Reddy’s letter also referred to several Government Orders on school fee regulations issued from 1994 and said that they are not being implemented by the management of several schoolsIf the schools fail to comply with the GO, it can result in the cancellation of the school’s recognition and also its affiliation to other boards. Appropriate action will also be taken against the school management, the officials added.
Schools that violated the norms of G.O. NO. 46
Hyderabad: Niraj Public School Meridian Group of Schools Geetanjali School Jubilee Hills Public School Narayana Group of Schools Oxford School
Rangareddy: Sancta Maria International School Glendale Academy