Tuesday, March 19, 2024
HomeTop NewsFour private schools under the scanner of the Maharashtra education department

Four private schools under the scanner of the Maharashtra education department

- Advertisement -

Schools, Audit, Inspection, Maharashtra, Bacchu Kadu, Mumbai, Private Schools

Over the fee hike private schools in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai to be inspected by the education department. Nearly twenty schools are probed are one by one government would order the inspections. The state education department formed committees to address complaints concerning fee hikes in private schools.

Last week, several parents of students from different schools in the city met Bacchu Kadu, state minister for school education. Jayant Jain, president of the Forum for Fairness in Education coordinated with the delegation of parents from around 35 schools. In the days to come, the department plans to inspect more schools. “We are doing it in phases as we are short-staffed due to Covid-19 restrictions,” added the official.

Officials appointed by the department will inspect the documents of St Josephs’ School in Panvel, Euro school in Thane, Universal School in Ghatkopar, and Bright Start Fellowship International School in Grant Road pertaining to the last seven years. In a circular issued by the office of the deputy director on September 16, two committees of the department officials have been formed to look into the complaints of parents from different schools.

A spokesperson from the Xaviers’ Group that runs St Joseph School said, “The concerned education official has issued a letter to the school on September 10 and the same has been replied to.” Officials at Bright Start Fellowship School office-bearer said “they have answered the queries raised by the education department and also parents’ student’s association”. Euro School has advised by their legal team to refrain issuing statements to media, Universal School sources said “they are yet to understand and analyze the issue, they would respond after “taking legal view”.

“Private schools have the power to fix their own fees as per the Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Act, 2011. However, the Act has set some rules regarding a cap on the percentage fee hike, duration after which it can be imposed, and has also laid down the procedure for its approval by the Parent Teachers Association. Though, some parents have alleged that schools are not following these norms. We have thus asked for an inspection of such schools to verify their documents,” said a senior official from the department.

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Latest

Must Read

- Advertisement -

Related News