Parents, schools spar over fee hikes, want government to resolve issue

Updated on: Tuesday, December 13, 2011

While one can argue that parents in Mumbai are spoilt for choice with a wide variety of schools to choose from, affordability of education remains an issue. School fee hikes have been a raging topic of discussion for the past few years and parents as well as school managements feel the state education department has been unable to resolve the issue.

“Education has become a priority now. People live in rented houses just to make sure their children get a good education,” said Jayant Jain, president of the Forum for Fairness in Education (FFE).

In the past two years, FFE has taken the matter of allegedly arbitrary fee hikes to court and organised protests and fasts to agitate on the issue. “We have filed numerous petitions against many schools in Mumbai, but each time the government has not supported us or helped in our fight,” said Jain. In the past two years, FFE not only took the matter of arbitrary fee hikes to court, but also organised mass protests and indefinite fasts.

Government officials said they are doing all they can to bring about a proper law on the regulation of fees. “Parents too should be blamed for being ready to pay whatever the schools demand. Once parents refuse to pay up, schools will have no choice but to bring down fees. We will ensure that the new policies help parents in the best manner possible,” said an education official.

Schools, for their part, insisted that their only source of income is fees. “On the one hand, we are asked not to hike school fees and on the other hand the government has asked us to pay teachers as per the Sixth Pay Commission, including a few years’ arrears. How do private schools afford these changes unless fees are increased?” asked Lalitha Hariharan, principal of Rizvi Springfield High School, Bandra (W).

Many parents’ hopes are now pinned on implementation of the Right to Education Act, which talks of compulsory and quality schooling for everyone. They also want the Fee Regulation Bill passed. “Even though the new policies aim to make education available for all, it is important that the state education department ensures implementation of policies in the true sense,” said Lata Nair, vice president of the Parent-Teachers’ Association United Forum.

Parents, schools spar over fee hikes, want government to resolve issue

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