When will Private School Regulation Act come?
Hyderabad: Taking strong exception to the State government's laxity, parents are all set to file a contempt petition against the it. The reason is, it is more than six months that the government had promised before the State High Court to bring a comprehensive fee regulation law.
This is despite the court direction to bring a policy on private school regulation within two months, said Ramanjit Singh of the Hyderabad School Parents Association (HSPA).
A sub-committee constituted under the chairmanship of Education Minister Sabita Indra Reddy had been asked three issues: the introduction of English medium, improvement of schools and the Private School Regulation Bill. However, the committee had taken a decision only on two and postponed the issue of recommending to the government private school fee regulation.
Following this HSPA is all set to file a contempt petition before the HC against the government for not implementing its directions, said Singh. This is not the first time that the government is taking too much time and caused inordinate delays in the distribution of textbooks, uniforms, fee reimbursement and scholarships. to respond to the UGC for getting a 50 per cent share to implement the 7 CPC for college and university faculty. Fee regulation of private schools has been hanging in balance since 2017.Yet the government takes its sweet time while the School Education department ties its hands while private schools continue to loot parents right under its nose.
A HSPA member said Delhi State Education department had directed a notice to a school to roll back its new fee structure and comply with the government's directions. While the schools there were compelled to comply, those functioning under franchise model of the same Delhi school have been collecting different fee based on the school's location.
"If the school is located in Miyapur, Jubilee Hills and other affluent areas the fee is on a higher side when compared to other areas. Similarly, schools are practising five-six fee bands for students in the same classroom," the parents allege.
The government's handling of private schools has been taking several twists and turns. They include taking a U-turn on implementing GO 46 in 2017. now the parents' associations allege the government is only dragging the issue without taking any decision despite the directions of hc, with a law on school fee regulation. All this delay making parents doubt the government's intensions even after it had assured the HC that it will comply with the court directions