SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, April 14: The Dhanbad education department has directed the posh private schools of the district to submit audit reports of three academic sessions within a week to assess the fee structure of the institutions.
District superintendent of education Indrabhushan Singh has issued a notice in this regard to the management of the private school, asking them to provide their fee structure, financial aid and audit reports for three academic sessions; 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 to the district education department by April 20.
There are 55 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated posh private schools and 7 Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) affiliated institutions. As per guardians’ allegation, they increase tuition fees and other charges for every academic session arbitrarily.
DSE Indrabhushan Singh in his notice to the schools’ management has said that based on complaints of guardians, the deputy commissioner has set up a district primary education committee and district school fee committee.
“The meeting of the committees will be held soon to discuss the complaints of guardians over arbitrary fees being realized by schools. So, submit the audit report and last three years’ fee structure of your institution positively to the education department,” the DSE said in the notice.
Taking long pending demands of guardians, Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Sandip Singh had on Monday set up a five-member District Fee Committee for private schools to fix the tuition and other fees.
Members of the committee are Delhi Public School (DPS) principal Dr Sarita Sinha, Rajkamal Saraswati Vidya Mandir principal Sumant Kumar Mishra, guardian of Kids Garden School Jharia Manoj Sharma, guardian of DAV Koylanagar Santosh Singh and chartered accountant Ajay Kumar.
The committee will monitor the annual tuition fee, admission fee, re-admission fee and other charges that the schools realize from students every academic session.
“As per Jharkhand Educational Tribunal (Amendment) Act 2007, the DC has the authority to set up the district fee committee for checking arbitrary fee increase of schools management,” said the DSE.
The fee structure of posh private schools in the district triggered major protests from the guardians when some institutions increased the school bus fee to Rs 3000 when offline classes resumed in schools after the ease in Covid-19 restrictions.
