Collector warns private schools against exorbitant fees

Anantapur: District Collector Veera Pandian has warned private school managements and corporate schools against violating the school fee norms fixed by the government. He said that the fee structure fixed by the government should be adhered until the government takes a view on the problems being faced by the private school managements.

Addressing an emergency meeting of the private school management representatives in the context of hundreds of complaints pouring in from parents, people's organisations in the media on the exorbitant fees being collected by a section of the private schools. There are 1,500 private schools in the district.

An intelligence report submitted to the Collector indicated that some private schools are collecting Rs 35,000 to 75,000 per year for first standard student. A committee would verify the fee structure and initiate action on those violating the government fixed fee structure for various classes.

The committee will also inspect schools to verify whether the schools have basic amenities like labs, well ventilated classrooms, drinking water and toilets. The district administration is targeting for achieving cent per cent literacy, he stated. The private schools should also take responsibility for achieving the target by sending students as literacy volunteers to nearby locations.

The Collector called upon all private schools to form parents’ committees. He urged private schools to continue to give free education to children of accredited journalists and also to give free education to 25 per cent of students hailing from the socially and economically backward sections.