Private schools fleece parents to no end

- Education in private sector becoming expensive
- Lion’s share of fee goes to trust & welfare fund
- Managements issuing multiple receipts for fee

Visakhapatnam: Dandu Jyothi Rani, working as a cashier in a finance company accepted to pay Rs 21,000 as school’s annual fee for her 8-year-old daughter’s admission into fourth standard in a private school in Vizag. In fact, there is two months’ time for reopening of the schools, the executives of the schools are visiting colonies and gated communities promoting admissions in their schools for the last one month. Representatives of the one of the popular educational institutions in the city convinced Jyothi Rani to admit her daughter in the school.

Believing the representatives of the school, Jyothi Rani, who is seriously looking at a good school to shift her daughter into a big one, paid the Rs 10,500 as a part payment against her daughter’s admission. She was stunned when the management given receipt in the name of an Educational Trust and Welfare Fund against the payment. When she asked for a receipt in the name of school, the management said, they will issue three types of receipts against the total annual fee. The receipts in the name of the school will be given to the term fee only for four months to the tune of Rs 2,000 each term.

A majority of the corporate and private educational institutes are following similar process and issuing different types of receipts against the school fee. Besides, the annual fee, the managements also collecting fee on special education, including dance, music, art and other activities and giving multiple receipts against the fee.

“The corporate education in the private sector has become a big business and the managements fleecing parents. However, they are not maintaining proper accounts against their collection of money. As a parent, expecting a bright career for my child, I took the admission to my daughter in the school. But, they gave two different receipts which are irrelevant. Besides, they have asked me to purchase the books in mid of April at their school premises. The uniforms, books, belt, school dairy and badges also they will make ready in mid of April,” Jyothi Rani said.

In fact, according to the guidelines and directions, the school managements have to issue single receipt against the collection of the fee. The management should not involve in any kind of business-like sale of books, stationery and uniforms. According to the guidelines, the District Educational Officers have to send a report against the guilty to take necessary action. "During the past two academic years, the department has taken the issue seriously and directed the DEOs to visit the schools and send a report.

Surprisingly, there are no complaints from the parents end. The parents should ask the managements about the huge fee and issuing multiple receipts. If, any parent lodged a complaint with the proof, the department will take stringent action on the management,” a senior official of Education Department administration wing in Amaravathi said.