Delhi has called a meeting of all the legislators and education department officials tomorrow
New Delhi:
Arvind Kejiwal led AAP government in Delhi has toughened its stand against private schools on hiking fees and called a meeting of all the legislators and education department officials tomorrow. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia - who also holds the education portfolio - met at the Delhi Secretariat today following complaints from parents that schools have increased their fees and are asking for arrears, reported Press Trust of India.
An official told PTI that Mr Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia discussed the issue and a meeting of all the MLAs and education department officials has been called on December 14.
According to the official, the legislators will get data regarding complaints against private schools in their area which have increased the fees for the meeting.
The Directorate of Education (DoE) had also written to schools recently asking them to refrain from any "unjustified" hike in school fees in the name of implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.
Earlier in October this year, the Delhi government had allowed recognised unaided private schools on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land to increase their fees by 15 per cent as an "interim" measure to comply with the seventh central pay commission (CPC) recommendations.
A circular to this effect was issued by the Directorate of Education on October 17, following which the opposition BJP today alleged that the move opens up a "Pandora's box of harassment and trouble for parents". The circular, however, reads that the general instruction for all private unaided schools, irrespective of their land status, is that, a fee hike is "not mandatory" for recognised unaided schools in Delhi.
"All schools must, first of all, explore the possibility of utilising the existing reserves to meet any shortfall in payment of salaries and allowances, as a consequence of increase in the salaries and allowances of employees," it reads.
The Delhi government circular defines two categories of such schools.
One running either on private land or on DDA/Land and Development Office (L&DO) allotted land, but not having a condition to seek prior sanction of the Director (Education), and the other running on land allotted by the DDA/government land-owning agencies having condition to seek prior sanction of the Director (Education), before any fee hike.
(With Inputs from PTI)
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An official told PTI that Mr Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia discussed the issue and a meeting of all the MLAs and education department officials has been called on December 14.
According to the official, the legislators will get data regarding complaints against private schools in their area which have increased the fees for the meeting.
The Directorate of Education (DoE) had also written to schools recently asking them to refrain from any "unjustified" hike in school fees in the name of implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.
Earlier in October this year, the Delhi government had allowed recognised unaided private schools on Delhi Development Authority (DDA) land to increase their fees by 15 per cent as an "interim" measure to comply with the seventh central pay commission (CPC) recommendations.
A circular to this effect was issued by the Directorate of Education on October 17, following which the opposition BJP today alleged that the move opens up a "Pandora's box of harassment and trouble for parents". The circular, however, reads that the general instruction for all private unaided schools, irrespective of their land status, is that, a fee hike is "not mandatory" for recognised unaided schools in Delhi.
"All schools must, first of all, explore the possibility of utilising the existing reserves to meet any shortfall in payment of salaries and allowances, as a consequence of increase in the salaries and allowances of employees," it reads.
The Delhi government circular defines two categories of such schools.
One running either on private land or on DDA/Land and Development Office (L&DO) allotted land, but not having a condition to seek prior sanction of the Director (Education), and the other running on land allotted by the DDA/government land-owning agencies having condition to seek prior sanction of the Director (Education), before any fee hike.
(With Inputs from PTI)
Click here for more Education News
