AHMEDABAD, Oct 13: The state government has decided that secondary schools that do not receive grants can charge fees from girl students. The decision, however, goes against the Government's objective of providing free education to girls.The Council for Social Justice staged a dharna at Lal Darwaja here on Sunday in protest against a government resolution (GR) to this effect dated August 28.The city-based organisation says the GR would discourage girls' education, besides freeing the schools of ``restrictions'' like reservation of some jobs for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class candidates.Schools without grants will be allowed to set student fees and staff salaries without seeking permission from the district education officer (DEO). They need not seek permission for class strength either, or submit account audits to the Government. They do, however, have to submit to academic inspections.Ironically, the policy was opposed by the Bharatiya Janata Party when the RashtriyaJanata Party Government issued a GR along the same lines in May 1997.The RJP Government had removed restrictions on reservation, recruitment rules, fee liberty, and class strength but stopped short of doing away with free education for girls.Council secretary Valjibhai Patel said Education Minister Anandiben Patel had ``dealt girls' education a great blow, being a woman.'' With the restriction on tuition fees removed, schools are free to charge any amount. This could lead to an explosive situation, with parents already up in arms against escalating education costs, he added. Patel was not available for comment.Last year, when the Shankersinh Vaghela Government tried to implement the resolution, it was stopped by a council writ petition. The government had subsequently to withdraw the resolution. Later, the Gujarat High Court disposed of the petition.An official in the Education Department said, on condition of anonymity, people did not want to open schools without grants. On the other hand, ifthey did take a grant, they had to submit to several government rules, which they were not willing to follow. Scrapping the rules, he said, would get the government to save grant money, and encourage private organisations to open schools.
