Private schools in Telangana to refund, adjust excess fee

Managements of 10 school express willingness during a hearing conducted by Directorate of School Education

Hyderabad: Private schools in the State, who violated the government order during the Covid-19 pandemic on fees, have come forward to refund or adjust the excess fee collected for the academic year 2020-21. The school managements expressed their willingness for this during an ongoing personal hearing conducted by the Directorate of School Education with 10 private schools.

“The schools sought for a personal hearing. We are going by fee details of each student and accordingly asked the managements to furnish accounts of fee collected for 2020-21. When they were asked what could be done on the fee issue, they expressed their willingness to adjust excess fee collected for the leftover months in the current academic year or refund the fee. They have been asked to do this by January end and to inform the parents,” a senior official said.

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In view of the Covid-19 pandemic, the State government had issued GO No.46 directing all private schools affiliated to the State Board, Central Board of Secondary Education, ICSE and other international boards not to increase fee during the academic year 2020-21. They were also directed to charge only tuition fee on a monthly basis until further orders.

However, several parents lodged complaints with the School Education Department over a fee hike by some schools, while others were collecting tuition fee by clubbing all fees including sports and library fee though physical classes were not being held. Some parents also moved the High Court over the issue.

Following the complaints, the department served notices on the schools and later constituted a committee, which probed the issue and found that 10 schools were violating the government order on the fee. The same report was submitted to the High Court as well.

“Out of 10 schools, two schools are yet to agree to refund or adjust the excess fee. We will take action as per the rule book if they stick to their stance,” the official said.

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