“Allegations are galore that the order issued over the bus fee before the commencement of the winter vacation by Chairman J&K FFRC has not been issued on the basis of recommendations of a five member committee empowered to recommend changes in the fee structure for private schools particularly the bus fee.”
Private Schools always in news on the commencement of the new academic session for all wrong reasons are this year in news for blind endorsement of the unjust 50% bus fee for private schools for the winter period by the Director School Education Kashmir. The order issued just before winter vacations but kept on silent mode amid a row by the Chairman Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) does not require any endorsement by the Director School Education Kashmir as bus fee being an inalienable part of the overall fee structure of private Schools is the domain of the Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) and is to be resolved by him only but not the Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK). Otherwise also Director School Education Kashmir asking private schools to charge half fee for the winter vacation period is totally unjust given the fact that when Government itself is denying wages to its employees for boycotting work in protest for acceptance of certain demands under the rule “ No Work, No Pay” it can never ever with or without the consent of the Chairman J&K FFRC ask parents or students to pay bus fee half or full for the winter vacation period during which bus services remain suspended and the drivers of the schools buses are disengaged . Shockingly allegations are galore that the order issued over the bus fee before the commencement of the winter vacation by Chairman J&K FFRC has not been issued on the basis of recommendations of a five member committee empowered to recommend changes in the fee structure for private schools particularly the bus fee. Allegations are also galore that endorsement of the decision has come from Director Education Kashmir allegedly without the verification of the relevant records of J&K FFRC. Unfortunately the blind endorsement of the unjust bus fee order for the winter vacation period still left unresolved by Chairman J&K FFRC has emboldened some office bearers of J&K Private Schools Association sufficient enough to threaten withdrawal of bus services without keeping it in mind that private schools don’t wield any institutional or administrative authority to withdraw any service without the consent of the Government.
“Amid a three cornered winter bus fee row between the J&K FFRC, the parents and the Private Schools the Director School Education Kashmir owes an explanation before Additional Chief Secretary School Education for having stepped into the administrative jurisdiction of Chairman J&K FFRC over the row on bus fee for the winter period in case of private schools without verifying the role of five member committee empowered to recommend changes in the fee structure particularly bus fee. In such a conflicting situation administrative wisdom demands that Additional Chief Secretary School Education seeks an immediate explanation for the blind endorsement of J&K FFRC’s controversial bus fee order for private schools from Director School Education Kashmir and subsequently asks Chairman J&K FFRC to withdraw the bus fee order for the winter period in the larger interests of the parents and the students who have not been consulted over the issue before or after the winter vacations as per the well established practices and procedures.”
Notably any unilateral move by private schools to withdraw bus or any other service is directly and indirectly linked to their registration with the Education Department and affiliation with the J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE). Amid a three cornered winter bus fee row between the J&K FFRC, the parents and the Private Schools the Director School Education Kashmir owes an explanation before Additional Chief Secretary School Education for having stepped into the administrative jurisdiction of Chairman J&K FFRC over the row on bus fee for the winter period in case of private schools without verifying the role of five member committee empowered to recommend changes in the fee structure particularly bus fee. In such a conflicting situation administrative wisdom demands that Additional Chief Secretary School Education seeks an immediate explanation for the blind endorsement of J&K FFRC’s controversial bus fee order for private schools from Director School Education Kashmir and subsequently asks Chairman J&K FFRC to withdraw the bus fee order for the winter period in the larger interests of the parents and the students who have not been consulted over the issue before or after the winter vacations as per the well established practices and procedures.
