Early Times Report
srinagar, Nov 29: The state high court today issued notice to the government for its response to a petition, seeking a direction to private schools for not collecting tuition fee from students since the beginning of unrest in the valley. Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar directed the government to file objections after hearing counsel for the petitioner. In view of the urgency expressed by the petitioner, the court listed the case for next hearing on December 6.
Stating that the announcement for collection of fee by private schools from July this year was illegal and sans mandate of law, the petitioner submitted that the president of private schools association had no such authority to ask private schools to collect fee.
He also sought implementation of SRO 123 of March 18, 2016 of the education department in letter and spirit to allow parents to participate in the managements of private educational institutes as prescribed under rules.
A direction was also sought to the chairman of fee fixation committee to issue necessary order on the collection of the tuition fee for the period when the schools remained closed due to unrest in the valley. "When a school renders the service of teaching, parents are duty bound to pay the fee, but when the service is not made available by the private schools, they are not entitled to charge the fee from parents," he submitted.
The petitioner submits that 'educational activities are charity in nature and the same cannot be permitted to become commercial activity by the inaction of the state'.
He pleaded that the president of private schools association, without any authority in law, was issuing orders for the collection of fee. "Education minister, being public representative, has a responsibility in this regard but he is watching as a mute spectator," he alleged.
"The minister has not done anything against the continuous exploitation of parents and students whose roll number slips are not being issued by private schools for want of fee," he alleged.
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