Gujarat: Parents' body for seeks uniform fee structure in all schools

An association of parents on Monday demanded that a uniform fee structure be implemented in all self-financed schools in the state, rather than each school deciding their own fees.

Representatives of Vaali Swaraj Manch, which represents some parents bodies, raised the issue before Gujarat Secondary and Higher Education Board (GSHEB) chairman AJ Shah, who heads the seven-member fee fixation committee formed by the state government to fix the new fee limit for self financed schools.

The parents' body alleged that commercialisation of education in Gujarat in the past two decades had led to a huge disparity and created an environment of discrimination.

"The state government offers uniform financial assistance to all grant-in aid schools as per fixed parameters. The same principle should be applied to self financed schools by implementing a uniform fee structure in all schools, which will help in doing away with the discrimination between rich schools and poor schools," Vaali Swaraj Manch said in a representation to the panel head, while stressing that differential fee structures were unjustified.

The association said that the state government had fixed slabs of Rs 15,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 27,000 for primary, secondary and higher secondary schools respectively after discussions with self financed schools and parents.

"When the fee fixation committee is once again hearing schools and parents in view of the Supreme Court order, it is our request to you to also convene the state's education minister and senior officials as it is important to get a fair idea of the parameters that were considered when fixing the fee slabs. It is also our request to you to retain the earlier slabs," it said.

In its representation, the parents body also pointed out that the state government pays uniform assistance of Rs 10,000 to self financed schools for admitting students under the Right to Education Act.

"Even though there is a huge difference in the fee structure of self financed schools, the government treats them equally by giving uniform amount. Using the same reasoning, the government should declare uniform fee for all schools," it demanded.

Talking with reporters, Shah said that he had heard the petitioner parents, and some schools who had made representation over fee structure and other issues.