April 14,2011: “Despite of laws, court orders, using false assurances, the Govt. has colluded with the unaided schools lobby and allowed unscrupulous exploitation of parents & teachers. While fees are hiked in the name of rise in teacher’s salaries, they are not even being paid their legitimate dues itself. Hence, we the parents and teachers have come together to expose and resist this exploitation” says Br. Moizurrahman, President SIO Maharashtra South.

A grand Protest by SIO Mumbai along with other Students Organisation mainly Forum for Fairness in Education (FFE) being organised at Azad Maidan on Thursday April 11, which is continue till writing of this report.

“We are on indefinite Hunger Strike till we get our demands fulfilled. We are backed by Several teachers and parents” a Top official of FFE said here.

“It should be noted Parents have been continuously complaining, over the last decade and have sought support of the judiciary, yet the private unaided school management lobby, which manages the Govt. (e. g. the appointment of Kumud Bansal as Chairperson of the Committee) has thrown out the law of land, namely Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act-1987 and also all other related Acts, Rules including Secondary School Code” informed Shaikh Javed, PR Sec SIO Mumbai Metro.

Over the last three years, like several other scams, the shamelessness has spiked to unbearable levels. The Govt. has kept appearances by issuing GRs only, which intern are thrown away by Courts as they have no legislative backing.

The school managements have hiked fees more than 150% in the last three years. The justification for the increase in tuition fees has been given as to pay salaries & arrears as per the VI Pay Commission to teachers. However most of the teachers have not been paid even the salaries as per the norms, leave alone the arrears. While 150% increase in the school fees, should cover much more than the salaries. Opined Mah. South ZP.

Finally SIO Mah Demanded.

1.     Limit (ceiling) on fee hike and permit fee hike only once in 3 years.
2.     Refund of fees, if there is any element of profiteering.
3.     Enforce Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act-1987, with well defined legitimate fees covering VI Pay salaries.
4.     Review Fee structure from 2008 onwards, of all private schools charging more than Rs. 6000/- per year and refund of all capitation fees collected till date.
5.     Immediate implementation of VI Pay Commission & arrears with transparent pay-fixation.
6.     Protect teachers against victimization, harassment, hire & fire policy, as teachers respectability is the key to students’ character building.
7.     Transparency in Service condition including issuing of copy of the service book and monthly detailed salary to the teachers. Payment of PF and Gratuity as per the Govt. norms.
8.     Penalize extortions, in the name of admission fee (up to 2 lakhs), Security Deposit (up to 2.5 lakhs), Imprest Money (up to 1 lakh), Activity fee (up to 30000 per activity). School Essentials (up to Rs. 50000), Building Fund (up to Rs. 50000), Admission Forms (up to Rs. 8000) etc. Also Stop compulsory purchase of uniforms, books, stationery, school essentials, and worksheets leading to exploitation.
9.     Enforce truly democratically elected PTA representatives in place of sham PTAs and to maintain transparency in the functioning of PTA.
10.Stop interviews for Pre-Primary or Primary admissions, as per RTE Act.
11.Enforce RTE Act, including 25% reservation for the weaker & disadvantaged group of children.
12.Cover unaided schools under RTI and enforce web-publishing of accounts and facilities including affiliation details of all private schools.
13.Collection of all fees should be in the name of school only and official receipt/s must be issued for all payments.

Lets hope Insha Allah our demands for a better education scenario get streamline by Govt. concluded ZP.