Private school bus drivers, attendants be paid salary during winter months: DSEK

Srinagar, Apr 8: In the latest development, the Director School Education Kashmir has asked all the private schools to ensure the drivers and the attendants of their school buses are paid salaries during winter months like other employees of the school.

The directions have been issued during a meeting convened by the Director School Education Kashmir with representatives of around 51 schools across Kashmir.

Director School Education Kashmir Tasaduq Hussain Mir has issued a public notification to clear the air about the instructions that were issued to the private schools during the recent meeting held at the directorate here on April 4, 2024.

The meeting was convened to discuss the charging of fees other than prescribed by the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC), admission for the current academic session, the issue of books, and other issues concerning both parents and the school owners.

“It is notified for the information of the general public that no minutes of meeting in this regard have been issued by this directorate so far. Some self¬styled organisations are issuing minutes of the meeting at their own level misleading the general public which may never be construed as facts and such acts are strongly refuted,” reads a notification issued by the Director Education Kashmir.

“These organisations are warned to refrain from such activities or otherwise strict action will be initiated against them,” it reads.

The Director Education Kashmir said that during the meeting, the private schools were directed not to charge any admission or any capitation besides other fees which are not prescribed by the FFRC.

“The schools were directed that students should not be overburdened by additional books or additional content other than books prescribed by the government,” the notice reads.

It said that the schools were instructed to charge the bus fee as approved by FFRC.

“However, the drivers and other attendants should be paid a salary during winters as is being paid to other employees of the institution,” the notice reads.

The Director School Education said that any dispute on fees was a dispute between the parent and the institution.

“Students should in no case be victimised by depriving them of discharge certificate, admit card, or other related documents, which is against the RTE Act,” the notice reads.