In brazen violation of Govt directions; Pvt schools fleece parents in name of ‘annual fee’

Srinagar : Despite repeated directions for not to charge the annual fee, scores of private schools in Kashmir division continue to fleece parents by charging the hefty amount.
Parents of several schools on Thursday called up newspaper offices with the complaints of overcharging of annual fee. They said that the private school managements are taking the Government Fee Fixation Committee (GFFC) on a ride by not implementing its orders and directions pertaining to charging an annual fee.
One of the parents said that his daughter is studying in one of the private schools in Zawoora area of Srinagar and they are forcibly asking him to pay the annual charges which the GFFC has prohibited.
He said, “Besides, charging annual charges, the school management is not providing any heating arrangement to the students.”
The newspaper offices also received calls from those parents studying in other private schools. The parents were complaining about the same issues.
Earlier on November-13, the Government Fee Fixation Committee (GFFC) had ordered the private schools of Jammu and Kashmir to charge annual fee only on a pro-rata basis after re-opening of schools.
GFFC Chairperson Justice (Retd) Muzaffar Hussain Attar has said, “In respect of charging and collection of annual fee, which means that only after the schools reopen annual fee can be charged on pro-rata basis on the basis of the orders passed by the committee.”
Top officials of GFFC said that the committee has repeatedly ordered the private schools to charge annual fee only on a pro-rata basis after re-opening of schools.
The official said, “We have asked the private schools not to charge the annual fee at the time when schools are closed.”
“On basis of various complaints filed by the parents of those wards studying in private schools, we are regularly taking actions and seeking the report from the respective institutions,” the official said.
He said, “We ensure that nobody is charging the annual fee and is harassing the parents to pay the illegal amount.”