Within a period of two weeks the CBSE schools in the city will get to know how much fee they can charge this academic year. The Private Schools Fee Determination Committee has virtually completed hearing CBSE schools that had sought a fee revision and is expected to release the revised amounts in two weeks.
According to the head of a CBSE school, Justice S.R. Singharavelu, who chairs the committee, is said to be giving a patient hearing to schools that want their fees revised. CBSE schools that were earlier wondering if they came under the purview of the committee have now been given a chance to represent their cases. The regulation also becomes important in the context of some city schools charging up to Rs. 40,000 for the first term in PRE-KG.
Parents, however, feel that unless there is a monitoring agency schools may not follow the recommendations. “The School Education Department should ensure schools follow the committee’s direction. We cannot be protesting every time,” said a parent of a matriculation school student, on condition of anonymity.
The issue of private schools charging high fee amounts has resurfaced with school reopening. In regard to matriculation schools, there has already been a series of protests by parents, including on DPI complex on Monday. It all began in 2010, with the committee, then headed by Justice K. Govindarajan, prescribing school fees for nearly 11,000 private schools in Tamil Nadu.
