Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Apr, 21
Today a press conference was organized by the Private schools of Jammu division to defend low budget Private schools and educational authorities’ from agencies who are creating misconception, ill & hatred towards Private schools in the society. While speaking members who were present stressed that while private schools had been working for the welfare of mankind till today and rendering yeomen services but now they have become a prey to the cheap politics of some people who arc fanning pollution and poison against them. The tyranny of these insensitive people playing foul games in the name of education has compelled us to approach the 4th pillar of democracy to get justice and to clear the cloud of wrong propaganda. Presidiums comprising of Kamal Gupta President, Rameshwar Mengi Vice President, Ajay Gupta General Secretary J&K PSA along with their team briefed the media that till date government has never bothered to streamline the educational system and every government authority has always come up with hypothetical, unrealistic and unreasonable suggestions and ad-hoc approaches. The constitution of Fee Fixation committee idiom any Act & SRO for the Private Educational Institutions was challenged in the Honble High Court of J&K. Now after a threadbare discussion with the Parent bodies & school Associations’ government has come out with new order 01 FFC of 2019 dated 28.01.2019 after the supersession of all previous orders has found acceptance. Members said that in this order all types of guidelines are given categorically for the students, parents/ guardians regarding the collection of fee viz Private schools are authorized to charge Tuition fee, Annual fee, transport fee, voluntary special fee etc.as in sub section i, ii, iii, iv, v of section 4.None of the school can charge any other fee including admission fee or any amount by whatever name called, then the fee prescribed as in section 8. They said that private schools are categorized by The FFC into three categories. In first category Fee Fixation committee does not restrict the schools charging fee less than 1000/- monthly & 6000/ -annually to enhance fee up to1000/- monthly & 6000/ – annually with the condition that enhancement should be gradual & reasonable.
In second category the schools charging more than 1000/- monthly and 6000/- annually can increase 6% on the fee which the school was already charging on the day of August 2018. To increase tuition fee/ annual fee more than 6% per annum, the school authorities’ are bound to approach FFC for the approval with proper justification and required documentary proof is clear cut mentioned for the schools of third category.
Thus for the first time J&K state government has given safe guards to the parents / students with a provision of returning all types of fee taken by the school on pro -rata within 60 days if the student leaves the school under compelling circumstances beyond the control of parents, they added. Members were critical of opening of sale counters of stationery, uniforms, books, water bottles etc. in the school premises. They demanded immediate withdrawal of such practice from such indulgent schools as it has already brought bad name to the noble profession of education. Association of Private schools appealed unanimously to the parents to collect receipt while depositing any amount to the school authorities. They again appealed to the civil society for the disclosure of the names of all such schools categorically which are not adhering to the order issued by the FFC and are charging exorbitant amount without the approval of FFC as mentioned in section 5 of order 01 of FFC. To dilute the confusion regarding the refund of fee members said that conditions laid in circular no. 01 FFC of 2019 dt 26-03-19 doesn’t apply to the schools which have submitted their fee structure to the FFC in compliance to the FFC order no. 01 of 2019 dt. 28/01/19. Kama! Gupta President of association appealed to the parents that in case of any grievance the Parent should approach first to the concerned school authority and then in case if grievance is not mitigated they should appeal to the J&K PSA authorities @ 9419194779, 9419158492,9419183224.
