Clear dues of private schools by or before 15 of every month: FFRC to parents

Srinagar, Apr 5: The Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC) for private schools has asked the parents to clear their dues in private schools by or before 15 of every month.

The FFRC has however directed the private schools to do away with collecting advance tuition fees, transport charges and other annual fees from the parents.

The order in this regard has been issued by the Chairman FFRC, Justice (Retd) Sunil Hali in order to streamline the collection of tuition and other fees by the schools.

The order has been issued at a time when the complaints are pouring in from all districts that the private schools were charging tuition and other fees in advance from the parents in violation of the government norms.

Meanwhile, the FFRC in its order has stated that complaints were pouring in that the private schools are charging advance tuition fee, annual fee and transport fee for a year in some cases for the entire schooling period without approval of competent authority.

"This practice is a violation of law and cannot be permitted," the FFRC order reads.

The FFRC has however stated that the management of private schools has stated that the parents were not paying fees on time and in some cases for months together.

"To address both the issues it is ordered that the private schools across J&K UT shall not charge any type of advance fee and if charged from the parents shall immediately refund the same," the FFRC order reads.

The committee has further ordered that all the parents whose wards are studying in private schools across J&K UT shall pay all types of fee by or before 15th of every month to enable the school management to pay salaries to staff and meet other expenses.

"Any deviation from the part of either stakeholder shall warrant action in accordance with law," the FFRC order reads.

The parents however complained that the schools were giving an arbitrary hike to their fees structure including annual fees without seeking permission from the competent authorities.

"The schools get permission to enhance the tuition fees by some percent for one year. But the schools give a hike to the fee structure every year and resort to illegal fleecing of parents," said a parent, Muhammad Faisal from Srinagar.

The parents said the private schools have also given a hike to the annual fees in violation of the orders issued by the FFRC chairman from time to time.

"We urge the FFRC and the school education department to look into the issue so that the private schools stop this illegal profiteering," the parents said.

The parents said the delay in clearing the dues was due to the arbitrary hike given by the management of the schools in the fee structure.

"Once we submit our grievances, they are not addressed on time which results in delay in clearing the dues of our kids in schools," said Muhammad Shafi, a parent from Baramulla, who is a teacher by profession.

The parents said the FFRC should issue strict instructions to the schools not to give any arbitrary hike in the fees structure without seeking permission from the competent authorities.

"If schools will charge the fees legitimately, no parent will delay in clearing the dues. But the schools resort to fleecing which creates trouble for both the parties," the parents said.