Private schools seek reconsideration of admission fee order
Srinagar, May: Jammu and Kashmir Joint Coordination Committee of Private Schools and J&K Private School Association Jammu called on Chairman Fee Fixation Committee Chairman Justice (Retd) Imtiyaz Hussain.
President JKJCCPS Showkat Chowdhary and General Secretary JKPSA Jammu Ajay Gupta led the delegation who were also accompanied by Yousuf Manzar, Iqbal Beth, Rameshwar Singh Manhas, Ram Prakash and others.
At the outset, the delegation thanked Chairman FFC on issuing the order No 01 FFC of 2019 wherein many issues, which budget schools were facing, have been addressed.
During the meeting, the delegation drew the attention of the Chairman FFC towards point number 8 of the fresh Order No 01-FFC of 2019 barring private schools from charging an admission fee.
President JKJCCPS informed the Chairman FFC that the order contradicts with the JK School Education Act 2002, issued by JK Civil Secretariat Education Department under SRO 123 on 18th March 2010.
He said the Act under rule no 9 titled “Levy and Collection of Fee” says “The admission shall be charged only once I.e. upon the first enrolment of the child/student in the school.”
Showkat M Chowdhary informed Justice Imtiyaz Hussain that admission fee is only utilized for the development of school infrastructure, which is benefitting both the schools and the students.
The delegation appealed the Chairman FFC to reconsider the order for the betterment of the school education.
Chowdhary also informed him that Private Schools had sought increment of a minimum of 8 per cent annual fee hike against the approved 6 per cent hike in the free structure mentioned in point number 5 of the fresh order.
Chowdhary further informed him that schools provide salary hike to the teachers and other staff annually so that teachers’ salaries are not compromised with.
“If we provide a better salary to the teachers only then they can give better results. We try to invest in teachers and provide them with handsome salaries so they don’t also compromise on giving their best efforts. The salary hike to teachers and other expenses are only possible if there is an annual increment of 8 per cent in fee structure,” he said.
The delegation requested that the annual hike may be increased from 6 per cent to 8 per cent.
The delegation also sought an extension of dates for the submission of files for the approval of fee structure.
The delegation thanked FCC Chairman for giving a patient hearing to them and also assured that they would cooperate with the education department for all their efforts in providing better education to the students.
Meanwhile, Chairman JKJCCPS has appealed its members to submit their files with the FFC for approval of their fee structure.
