Schools cannot increase fee by more than 8 pc: Pb Edu minister

Punjab Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary today directed officials to strictly implement a law which bars schools from hiking their fees by over 8 per cent per year and put an end to malpractices.
In a statement released here, the minister said that as per the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institution Act-2016, the fee structure of schools has been regulated to ensure that no unaided private school would be able to exploit the students and their parents.
She directed compliance of the provisions enshrined in the Act, "to put an end to the malpractices of private un-aided schools in the state and protecting the interests of student community," the statement said.

The minister said under the section 5 of the Regulation Act, no unaided private school can increase its current fee by more than eight percent every year.
She said under other provisions of the Act, grievances of parents, students and guardians regarding levying of extra fees and funds, monitoring commercialization of education and structure of fee and funds should be heard.
The Minister said a regulatory authority has been formed at the divisional level under the Chairmanship of concerned Divisional Commissioner to keep unaided private schools in check.

Keeping in view the interest of parents, the office of the regulatory authority has been constituted at every Divisional Headquarter where any student or the parents can lodge their complaint in case of any wrongdoing on the part of any private school, she said.

Minister also said in accordance with section 11 of the Act, the parents or guardians and students can register their complaints concerning levying additional fees and funds by unaided schools with the regulatory authority which would probe a case within 15 days and take a decision in 60 days.
The minister said as per Act, in case of non-compliance Primary schools would attract a fine of R 30,000, Middle schools would be fined to the tune of Rs. 50,000 while a fine of Rs. 1 Lakh would be levied from the secondary schools.
In the matter of an institution again violating the provisions of the Act, the fines would be doubled while the third time the affiliation of the school would be cancelled.

She instructed the officers and all the district education officers to make people aware of these provisions.
Yesterday, Punjab unit of the BJP requested Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore to direct all private schools in the state to charge school fees according to the previous academic session till the issue is resolved.