Rajasthan secondary education director Ashish Modi has issued new guidelines for private schools restricting these from hiking tuition fee for three years.
The education department has also mandated that parents can buy books and uniforms from open market besides from shops in schools.
“We have prepared guidelines for private schools so that parents and teachers don't face any problem,” said Ashish Modi, director of secondary education department.
The guidelines are aimed at curbing arbitrariness of private schools. These 10-point guidelines will control more than 40,000 schools affiliated with Rajasthan board, CBSE, ICSE and CAIE boards.
“Government will take strict action against those schools, which will not implement the guidelines,” Ashish Modi said.
As per the guidelines, private schools will have to set up a parents-teachers committee for fee fixation. The schools have to update names and mobile numbers of all committee-members on private school portal.
“Fee in excess of amount fixed by the committee will be illegal. The government will take action against those schools under Fees Act. Schools will have to refund the excess money to parents. Fees fixed by the committee will be valid for three years,” Modi said.
Ashish Modi rolls out guidelines for private schools
• Every school in the state should organise parents-teachers meeting. School level fees committee should be set up and details of each member of the committee should be uploaded in Rajasthan Private School Portal (PSP).
• The fees recommended by the school level committee should be updated in pdf format on portal under annual and monthly heads.
• Any amount in excess of approved fees would be considered as violation of Fees Act. In such circumstances, school administration will have to refund the extra amount to parents and students.
• Fees approved by school level fees committee will be valid for three academic sessions.
• Private schools will have to recommend books keeping in mind the rules and sub rules of their respective secondary education boards including state board, CBSE, ICSE and CAIE. Schools will then have to upload information about those books like price of the book, write and publisher name one month before the start of academic session on website or notice board so that parents can buy those books from open market.
• Private schools will have to strictly follow guidelines issued by the education department regarding sale of study materials, stationery, uniform, shoes, tie, belt and other items.
• Private schools will have to strictly follow rules and regulations framed for specially challenged students and girl-students.
• Swift action should be taken against any case of physical and mental torture of students.
• Parents-teachers meeting should be regularly held in private schools in which not only problems of students but also problems of school management should be discussed. The information about this meeting should mandatorily be provided to district education officer.
• Schools should upload all the guidelines of education department on their notice boards and websites.
Prakash Bhandari is a veteran journalist with over 50 years of experience. He has worked with The Times of India for 30 years and contributed to leading publications as well as international news agency AFP.
