Punjab bars pvt schools from increasing fee

The CM said that a detailed policy on fee hike by private schools will be finalized soon after detailed discussions with stakeholders.

“Secondly, private schools cannot give a particular shop’s name or address to parents for buying books and uniforms,” Mann said. He said the private schools will have to provide children and their parents with addresses of all shops selling stationery items, books and the uniform. “It is up to parents from where they want to purchase these items for their children,” Mann said.

He said the decisions will come into force with immediate effect.

Mann said parents want to provide education to their children but it has become a costly affair in Punjab, making it out of reach for a common man. “It has become so expensive that a common man who wants to give education to his child feels helpless. Either they are being forced to make their wards drop out from schools and engage them in work or they are getting the kind of education, which won’t be of any use in future.”

“To open the third eye of education, these decisions were very necessary and AAP will make education affordable for all in Punjab,” he said.

The Federation of Private Schools and Associations, which has 6500 schools as its members, welcomed the decision but added that to implement them, state government must contribute in functioning of private schools and treat them at par with government schools in some areas. Association president Jagjit Singh Dhuri said state government must make education in private schools ‘tax free’.

The parents welcomed Mann’s announcements and said that it was not just about admission and tuition fee but they were being ‘looted’ by schools and forced to pay development fee, smart class fee, sports fee, and several other ‘needless’ charges. “These all should ideally be a part of admission and tuition fee,” said a parent. “I paid Rs 300 extra for a chip based ID card for my son. The school also prescribed shoes of a high-end brand costing Rs 1,500,” he added.

“These days schools have opened shops and counters inside school to sell books and uniforms,” added another parent.

Paramjit Kaur, principal, BCM Arya Model School, Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana said: “We welcome CM’s decisions and we have put everything on hold for the next session. We will present our side to the government soon.”

Two days ago, Mann announced the rollout of the doorstep ration delivery scheme, saying the poor will no longer need to stand in queues as good quality ration will be delivered on their doorstep. However, the scheme will be optional for the eligible beneficiaries, Mann had said.

Earlier on March 19, he threw open 25,000 jobs in various state government departments, including 10,000 in the Police Department.