The warnings from the Education Minister regarding a crackdown on private schools lack accountability because the non-stop hike in private school fees is a direct result of the virtual scrapping of the uniform fee structure enforced years ago in Jammu & Kashmir.
Warnings to Government Schools and Public Statements from top Government functionaries including Education Minister on launch of a major crackdown on Private School don’t withhold the test of accountability in view of the non stop hike in fee structure of Private Schools due to virtual scrapping of the uniform structure enforced years ago during Presidential rule in the Jammu & Kashmir Government. Notably uniform fee structure was devised and implemented by the Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) under the leadership of its former Chairman Justice (Retd) Muzaffar Hussain Athar during the years of presidential rule in the Union Territory. Setting aside the uniform fee structure devised and implemented by Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) years ago the fee structure of private schools is now randomly increased one by one without adhering to any timeline and guidelines. Allegations are galore that J&K Public School Humhama has hiked its fee structure three times this year. Interestingly Manisha Sareen one time Secretary J&K Board Of School Education (J&K BOSE) an officer of J&K Administrative Service was unceremoniously removed from her position after she refused to clear the file of the fee revision of Delhi Public Athwajan Srinagar and many top private schools of Kashmir Valley. The violation of uniform feee structure of private schools and random revision of fee structure of private one by one twice or thrice is in itself dropping an indication that top private schools have virtually taken over the control of Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) an autonomous body established by an act of legislature of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State. The incumbent Chairman of Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) owes an explanation to both the Government and as well as the people for virtually scrapping uniform fee structure of private schools implemented years ago and allowing random hikes in the fee structure of private schools not once in a year but 3-4 times in an academic year.
“Private schools in the Kashmir Valley are implementing arbitrary and frequent fee increases because the School Education Department and the J&K FFRC have either failed or been compromised. This situation is undermining the stability of the education system. The author warns that the Government must demand an explanation from the J&K FFRC for not enforcing a uniform fee structure to prevent major public criticism and outrage, especially as fresh admissions are about to begin.”
The disparity between hiked fee structures and no marginal increase in teacher salaries is a complex issue which does attract the attention and intervention of the School Education Department particularly the Education Minister and the Secretary School Education Department. Teachers often lack strong unionization or collective bargaining power in the private sector, making it difficult for them to demand higher wages or better benefits. Private schools also benefit from the fact that many teachers (especially those who may be secondary earners or less experienced) are willing to accept lower pay due to the desire for a teaching career, proximity to home, or the perceived better working conditions (e.g., fewer disciplinary issues than in public schools). In the absence of strict enforcement of minimum wage laws or regulatory oversight on salary structures, private school management often operates with non-transparent pay scales, making it easy to pay teachers substantially less than their government school counterparts, despite similar qualifications. Giving a license to private schools to fix pay scales for teachers on their own conveniences in the absence of regularly procedure and also allow the Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) to set aside the uniform fee structure and randomly revise the fee structure of private schools one by one not only once but 3-4 times in an academic year is by all probabilities tantamount to further the causes of the commercialization of private education sector in Jammu & Kashmir . The School Education Department and as well as the regulatory body (J&K FFRC) have either failed or been compromised, allowing private schools to implement arbitrary and frequent fee increases and keeping the pay scales of teachers unrevised for years together , thereby undermining the stability of the education system. Unless and until the Government does not seek explanations from the Jammu & Kashmir Fee Fixation & Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC) for failing to revise the pay scales of teachers and implement uniform fee structure in private schools the public outrage against arbitrary revision of fee structures of private schools can draw more public criticism than ever before ahead of the commencement of fresh admissions in private schools in Kashmir Valley.
