Hyderabad: With advent of new academic year, private schools in city begin collecting hefty fees

Hyderabad: Even after the CBSE and ICSE boards notifying its affiliated schools in the city to follow the State government fee regulation guidelines, private schools have hiked the annual school fees by30 to 40 per cent. Parents allege that these irregularities are taking place due to lack of fee regulation committee.

Parents rue that despite the High Court orders, the Education department is least bothered to frame fee regulation guidelines and issue an order to form a fee regulation committee. Parents have been asking as to why there is a need to increase the school fee every year. "There should be a proper reason cited by the schools to increase the fees every year. Schools have been duping parents by collecting heavy fees in the name of tuition fees and donations. Though Tirupathi Rao Committee recommended an annual hike of not more than 10 percent, private schools never adhere to these norms. Even after staging various protests, the Education department is least bothered to take action on schools. Last year we filed a petition in the High Court and we are still waiting for the verdict," said Venkata Sainath, joint secretary, Hyderabad Schools Parents Association.

"My son's school fee has been hiked to 90,000 from 60,000 last year. We cannot even think of shifting him to some other school as he is persuading his 9th standard," said a parent whose son studies in a private school in Tarnaka.

Many schools have been siting Covid pandemic as he reason for fee hike. But why covid as now everything has got back to normal, asked a parent. A big fraud racket is been going on amongst all the private schools.

The State government and Education department must take strict action against private schools.