Edu dept to
form redressal fora for fee, cost of stationery issues
Committees Will Hear Complaints Every
Monday
Complaints about school fee hike and
compulsory buying of stationery items from select vendors will now be heard by
the state directorate of primary education every Monday .
The
state education department will establish redressal fora at taluka and district
levels for the purpose after receiving an approval from the government.
The
move follows a TOI report that highlighted the issue of schools overcharging
for stationery items and their nexus with vendors.
Director
of education Govind Nandede said, “The department has received several
complaints regarding the nexus between schools and vendors and parents be ing
exploited. In some cases, stationeries cost as ses, stationeries cost as much
as Rs 20,000. We have decided to introduce a forum system to address these
complaints every Monday . The plan has been sent to the state for an approval.“
Many
parents have also complained to the education department about arbitrary fee
hikes by schools.Nandede said, “The divisional fees regulation committee will
answer to complaints by parents once the fora are established.“
The
state government had introduced a fee regulation Act in 2015, which mandates
that schools must take permission from the Parent-Teacher Association and the
executive committee of the school before increasing fees. However, parents have
complained to the education department that schools have been overlooking this
rule.
Education
activist Matin Mujawar said, “In many schools, the executive committee that
takes a decision on fee hikes does not exist at all. The education department
has not taken action despite naming such schools.“
The
education department, until now, did not have a mechanism to hear these
complaints. The complaints kept mounting with the department for several years
due to lack of a redressal system. Nandede said, “The fora will take up
complaints received during the week and try and give an immediate decision
after the hearing. If required, a team will visit the school and scrutinize
facts before arriving at a decision.“
Source |
Times of India | 13 April 2017
Regards
Pralhad Jadhav
Senior Manager @ Knowledge Repository
Khaitan & Co
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