Visakhapatnam: Parents protest steep hike in fee

Visakhapatnam: Parents of students studying in the Timpany Senior Secondary School on Tuesday protested against the management’s decision to hike the fees by 25 per cent 100 per cent for the next academic year. Around 200 parents gathered at the school premises in CBM Compound in the morning.

The unrest was visible since Monday evening after a group of parents raised concerns about the fee hike and the demand that the kids be shod in expensive shoes. As the principal failed to respond to their concern, the parents decided to talk to the management. However, they were not given a chance to do so.

According to a parent, the school management increased the bi-monthly fee for a Class I student from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000. Moreover, they were forced to buy branded shoes worth Rs 3,000-Rs 5,000.

B. Kiran Kumar, a parent, said: “Though the school fee was increased, there are no increments for the teachers. Being one of the reputed schools in the city, the management has been insisting the parents follow the fee structure or look for some other school for their child.”

He said, “This is not the first time; the school arbitrarily increases fees every year in the name of quality education and infrastructure. Apart from this, they add burden of costly shoes. We don’t want to buy new shoes when the old ones are good enough.”

After a serious discussion with the parents, principal Vandana Abraham finally agreed to not insist on the branded shoes diktat. The management has not yet taken any decision on the roll back of the fee hike.

Ms Abraham said that the parents from their other two branches – ICSE School and Steel City School – have no objections with the new fee structure. The management may consider revising the fees if there is any protest from there as well, sources said.

Meanwhile, some NGOs complained to the principal secretary, department of school education, revealing the details about the arbitrary hike in the fee structure.

As per the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the collection of huge amount of fee and demanding purchase of uniform from the school premises amounts to violation of child rights. However, the Act is not implemented in letter and spirit.

Seeking an inquiry into the fee hike in various schools, RTE Forum state convener Narava Prakasa Rao said that it was mandatory to constitute district fee regulative committee (DFRC) to monitor the fee system, but it was not formed in Vizag and some other districts.