Private schools fleecing with impunity

Hyderabad: The word - onetime fee - is sending shivers up and down the spines of thousands of parents as they make rounds around the private schools which have already commenced their admissions in several parts of the twin-cities.

According to sources in the School Education Department, several complaints have been received from different persons and organisations against schools that they were making advanced admissions for the academic year 2018-19.

Speaking to The Hans India, a senior official from the School Education Department said the department had earlier directed not to make advance admissions. The issue had been put in the notice of the top officials in the government, he added.

Further, an international school in Madhapur has put up its admission fee at Rs 2 lakh and another in Bachupally hiked the fee by 10 per cent from the fee of Rs 2.4 lakh it allegedly collected during the academic year 2017-18,” the officer said. However, the official refused to divulge whether these details were collected as part of the survey of schools as directed by the Hyderabad High Court.

Many schools in Madhapur, East Maredpally and West Maredpally, Sainikpuri, Begumpet, Uppal, Dilsukhnagar, Khiaratabad, Abids, Vidyanagar, Habsiguda, Banjara Hills, Attapur, Gachibowli, Shankerpalli, Bachupally and Medchal were under the scanner for collecting Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh in the name of admission fee, the sources said.

The fee has been collected under different, innovative and colourful names like 'special activity fee', 'onetime admission fee', 'registration-cum-admission fee', 'registration and safety or caution deposit’ and the like. But, all have the same meaning, that, parents should shell down the money from their pockets.

Adding to the one-time fee nightmare, comes others giving jitters to the parents. They include the purchase of books, transportation, food bills in some schools, uniforms and the like. The story does not end there and throughout the academic year there will be additional sums for school outings, organising special events and others that the parents have to shell down out of their pockets, the sources pointed out.

According to official sources, there are three categories of schools: low, middle and high budget schools. Depending on the branding of the school in the locality, area, town, Mandal or city the fee differs. There could also be incidental fees like the ones charged for special events of education and recreation during the academic year.

The schools do not bother about the circulars and memos sent by the District Education Officers (DEO). Vice-president of the Hyderabad Private School Parents Association (HSPA) Seema Agarwal said, “We had given evidence against the schools which are charging parents exorbitantly nearly four months ago to the SSED. But, nothing has happened so far.” The officials say they are helpless in reining in the managements. One official said, expressing helplessness: “I am only a body without soul."

By V R C Phaniharan