Banning Private Schools from charging admission fee evokes positive response

Bilal Bashir Bhat
Srinagar, Jan 31 (Only Kashmir): Though it is open secret of our society that most of the top notch schools in Kashmir Valley are money minting machines, the recent order where government barred privately-run educational institutions from charging admission fee from students has evoked a positive response from general public, at the same time, the associated persons/associations of these schools are appealing to the Fee Fixation Committee to modify the order.
Pertinently, the governments run School Fee Fixation Committee (SFFC) barring of charging admission fee from students taken into the privately-run educational institutions. “The private schools shall not charge any admission fee from the students, parents/guardians, except tuition fee, annual fee and transport fee and other volunteer fee for picnic, tour and excursion,” reads the SFFC order issued Monday.



Talking to Onlykashmir[dot]in, eminent young writer and Executive Member Civil Society for Justice and Development (CSJD) Mushtaq ul Haq Sikandar, said “most of the private schools are operating like Mafia. The government norms are flaunted regularly. The norms of government formulated fee fixation committees are not being implemented on ground. The parents are charged exorbitant fees on one pretext and other. The private school teachers are at the receiving end. They work tirelessly for hours with little respite and small wages. Most of the private schools do not make the teacher salaries public. The teachers have no regular benefits of medical and general leaves. In many cases the salary is not being paid for several months altogether, while in other cases salary is usurped on a number of pretexts. There is no proper grievance redressed, so most cases of harassment, violations and denial of rights go unheard.”
Jammu And Kashmir Students Association while lashing out at GN Var said “We fail to understand why this person always comes to defend Private schools in their wrongdoings”
GN Var should spend a day of his life out from his luxuries then he will realize how difficult it is to admit your wards in private institutions, rather than appreciating the step of the government why he is opposing it? If u can’t bring the change but at least be the part of a change let the society grow up.
JKSA Chairman Abrar Ahmad Bhat while welcoming the order said the order was need of the hour. “The schools used to charge a huge amount and acted as blood-sucking machines.”
On the other hand, Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) Friday expressed shock at the government decision to stop private schools from charging one time admission fee from students as “the same will crush the private sector and hurt the growth of education sector in a big way.”
The Association said that most of the schools are under the financial burden and they have been waiting for education policy and resumption of 2006 government order, in order to gain stability.
“During these few years of instability the schools survived only because of admission fee and this admission fee is our backbone. If the government removes it, anybody can guess what will happen next,” the PSAJK statement reads, adding, maybe schools will have to down shutters as it will become unviable to run a school with so many curbs.



Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Joint Coordination Committee of Private Schools (JKJCCPS) has appealed to the Fee Fixation Committee to modify its order barring private schools from charging one time admission fee.
“The government is over ruling JK School Education Act 2002, issued by JK Civil Secretariat Education Department under SRO 123 issued on 18th March 2010. The Act under rule no 9 titled Levy and Collection of Fee provides that the admission shall be charged only once i.e. upon first enrolment of the child / student in the school. The Levy and Collection of Fee under JK School Education Act of 2002 is a balanced order helping both schools and parents.”
President, Kashmir Civil Society Coalition Accountability for Private Schools (KCSCAPS), Mr. Shakeel Wali talking to Onlykashmir[dot]in said, it is a welcome step from the government, adding, besides unabated exploitation of teachers in terms of salaries, private Schools in Kashmir are reduced to capitalist empires. He appealed the concerned authorities to remain steadfast in implementing the order, adding, the development has brought bliss among the parents.