Parents flay school fee increase in Steel City

Updated on: Wednesday, January 18, 2012

After the commotion over the random process of admission, schools are now at the centre of another controversy: fee hike. Schools have hinted at a tuition fee hike from the new academic session in April.

The Jharkhand Unaided Private English Schools (JUPES) have unanimously decided to increase the monthly tuition fee by 10 to 15 per cent. "The decision is in line with the guidelines of the Jharkhand Education Tribunal (JET) and it is not binding on the schools. If any school feels the hike is not necessary, it can have its way," said A P R Nair, convenor of the Jamshedpur chapter of JUPES.

Parents, however, are disappointed with the decision. "First we will appeal to the school management to roll back the decision and if required we will seek the judiciary's help," said Umesh, convenor of the Jamshedpur Parents' Association.

He said at a time when lower middle-class families are finding it difficult to cough up annual school fees, a further hike will only add to their woes.

They argued that the school management is saying they are being forced to hike fees because of increased expenditure. But there's been no perceptible improvement in the system of education, nor has the salary of a teacher been hiked.

"I spend about Rs 1,500 every month on my two daughters studying in UKG and Class-X in the Sacred Heart Convent School. Further increase in the tuition fee will upset my budget," said Tata Steel employee, Birender Kumar, expressing unhappiness with the fee hike decision.

Meanwhile, the process of admission to schools through the lottery system has begun.

Times of India

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