Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh today announced that after Congress comes to power in 2017, it will set up Regulatory Authority to regulate and monitor the functioning of the private schools in Punjab.In a statement issued here today, Capt Amarinder said, he had been approached by hundreds of parents from across the state, personally as well as through telephone and social media, seeking his intervention to end the “loot and exploitation” of the parents by the managements of the private schools.The former Chief Minister maintained while education reform was on top of his agenda, he will also ensure that the private schools do not fleece the poor parents who do not have any option but to pay whatever is demanded of them by the school managements.
The PCC president disclosed that the parents had complained to him about overcharging of school fees and also collecting money under different heads which was totally illegal and unacceptable.He said, he was told that the schools take money under different pretexts like annual charges, readmission co-circular activities, smart classes, computer classes5, books, stationery, uniform etc, without any justification. This, he added, was over and above the normal fees they have to pay for their children.Quoting CBSE guidelines, he said, no extra fees can be charged without parents’ consent and all the money earned has to be put back for further enhancement of educational facility and the money cannot be siphoned out.Capt Amarinder also appealed to the managements of the private schools to ensure that they do not overcharge the parents as they were very much a part of the same society. “Please ensure that you charge reasonable amount of money only so that people do not feel that they are exploited and extorted”, he urged the private school managements.