“Schools in dire need of finances, but we have to consider the situation of parents too”
Srinagar, Feb 15: Taking action on complaints received by a number of parents regarding arbitrary hike in fee by certain schools, Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) on Wednesday issued directions to all of its member schools to cap any fee hike at a maximum of 10%. “The condition will be subject to new directions of the Fee Fixation Committee which is currently headless”, said the Association spokesperson in a statement issued here.
The Association, as per the statement, said that it was forced to take the decision after certain parents alleged that some schools have increased the fee by a substantial amount thus affecting the students.
The Association said that the entire situation has arisen due to non-functioning of the Fee Fixation Committee. “The Jammu Kashmir Fee Fixation Committee (JKFFC) has been headless since the last three months and this has led to utter confusion everywhere. Some schools have been getting signals to increase the fee and they are doing the same. Others are waiting,” said the spokesperson in the statement.
The Association said that we are at the cusp of a new session and our academic calendar is experiencing a titanic shift this year. “Even at this crucial juncture, the government is displaying inefficiency by ignoring FFC. In the absence of a clear cut directive from the FFC or any other government agency, schools feel they have got the green signal to increase fees according to their own norms. They too are under stress which is adding to the situation,” reads the statement.
The Association said that till the government appoints a new chairman and FFC starts functioning properly, it has decided to intervene with a short term measure. “No school can increase the fee by more than 10 percent as of now. We are trying to maintain a balance. Going by the current situation our schools are in dire need of finances. The inflation has broken the back of our school, but we have to take in consideration of the parents too. So as a middle path we have capped the hike at 10% till the formal orders from the FFC,” the statement read further. (GNS)
