10/07/2015
Private schools up ante on September- October fee
Say High Court has allowed them to collect dues; parents deny claim
SYED RIZWAN GEELANI Srinagar, July 6: While the voices against the charging of Sep- Oct ( 2014) fee by private schools is going louder, Joint Committee of Private Schools ( JCPS) Monday reiterated that they will go by the High Court order which has given them ‘ liberty’ to ‘ collect all types of fees as in August 2014’. Addressing media persons in a local hotel here, convener JCPS, G N Var, said the High Court has allowed the unaided school to charge the said fee and the order will be implemented in letter and spirit.
“ Our schools were also damaged during the floods and government didn’t provide us any compensation to revive our educational institutions,” Var said.
He said the private schools were neither assessed for damage by revenue department nor by police. “ Revenue department out rightly refused to assess our losses saying their job was confined to residential houses,” Var told Greater Kashmir , adding that government completely ignored private schools under SDRF relief which was provided to every sector. “ Government is yet to classify the schools in the particular category,” he said.
Referring to the recent episode in New Convent School Gogji Bagh here, Var said people with vested interests are hell bent to deteriorate the education sector in valley.
“ Such fake parents’ associations have mushroomed in the recent months and they conduct illegal raids on private schools thereby disrupting the academic work,” Var said.
He said the aided elite missionary private schools were given free hand to arbitrarily hike fee and un- aided schools have to bear the brunt.
“ Post floods, PIL was actually filed against DPS and missionary schools and unaided economy class private schools had to bear the brunt,” he said, adding that the state government has failed to streamline the system and economy schools have become the victims.
Var said ‘ hooliganism by fake parents associations who are harassing schools over non- existent issues won’t be accepted at any cost.’ “ If government doesn’t rein in these fake associations we will close our schools,” he said.
He said 98 percent of private schools in Kashmir were economy schools who have to pay building rent, salary and other expenses from the fee they collect from students. “ Even after suffering during floods, government didn’t help us in any way,” G N Var said.
Var said a well planned conspiracy is being cooked to derail education system in valley. “ Government schools are already defunct, our higher education is dominated by outside colleges as our students don’t find any avenue here,” he said.
The press conference was also attended by the President, Kashmir Economic Alliance ( KEA), Showkat Chowdary who said schools are ready to cooperate with parents if the issues are discussed amicably. “ Parents can approach the school management to raise their grievances and if schools fail to motivate the parents they are free to approach Directorate of School Education or Court. But there will be no acceptance of hooliganism,” he said.
Earlier, an FIR was lodged against the Principal of a Srinagar based school after a lady, claiming to be part of parent association, alleged that she was assaulted by the school Principal.
“ Actually they barged into the school demanding office records, student register and started harassing the staff there. This is hooliganism and nothing else,” Chowdhary said, adding that all the private schools have decided that the lady will be banned to enter any school premises in future. “ We will also launch legal action against her.” The High Court in its order issued on June 2 has directed the government to form a committee within a week’s time that will be assigned to fix the fee structure in private schools. “ Government should abide by the court orders and constitute a committee in order to streamline the education system,” he said.
Parents are however complaining that schools were charging Sept- Oct fee in violation of court order. “ There is no mention that schools can collect the fee for these two months,” a delegation of parents told Greater Kashmir . In a bid to avoid the ambiguity in interpretation of the High Court order, Directorate of School Education Kashmir ( DSEK) is mulling to seek clarification regarding the order.
Officials said representatives from various private schools had a meeting with Joint Director School Education, Syed Abid Rashid Shah, regarding the issue. “ It was decided that department will get the order simplified from the High Court and will be implemented accordingly,” officials in DSEK said, adding that the representatives have agreed to the decision as well.
Mubashir Khan/ GK
