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Private schools free to fix their own fees, says Sibal -TIMES OF INDIA -20 FEB 2010
-Private schools free to fix their own fees, says Sibal
‘No Obligation To Pay Teachers Govt Salaries’
New Delhi: In what comes as a blow to the efforts of city parents’ associations which have been campaigning for reining in school fees, Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal said on Friday that fees of private schools cannot be regulated and each school had the right to fix salaries of its teachers.
Sibal’s claims contradict provisions in the Delhi School Education Act, 1973, which stipulate that remuneration of teachers in private schools cannot be less than their counterparts in government schools. The minister said this contradiction will go away once the Right to Education Act is implemented from April 1 — implying that it will override the state law.
‘‘There is no such provision in RTE,’’ Sibal said about the salaries of teachers while addressing principals at the 37th annual meet of National Progressive Schools’ Conference — a group of nearly 110 private unaided schools in the city.
‘‘Salaries in private schools do not have to be according to the government. They will decide what they want to pay,’’ he said, countering a speaker at the meet who had earlier said small schools did not have good teachers because they could not afford high pay.
While all schools were not required to pay Rs 22,000 (the minimum basic salary as per the Sixth Pay Commission) to their teachers, there should be no compromise on the qualification of teachers, he added.
Delhi Govt Clean Bowled By Kapil’s Yorker?
HRD minister cites Supreme Court ruling, says fees of private unaided schools cannot be regulated despite laws passed by some state govts attempting to do so
Sibal says Right To Education Act, which comes into effect from April 1, will override Delhi law that requires private schools to pay their teachers govt scales
Under RTE, all schools will be given govt recognition by enhancing their infrastructure and quality
Govt to move a malpractices bill under which all schools will need to give details of their infrastructure, number of students and teachers’ salaries on website
CHARTING A NEW COURSE
Tussle between Centre, Delhi govt on cards
Pvt Schools Welcome Sibal’s Remarks But To Wait & Watch
New Delhi: A tussle between the Centre and some state governments could be on the cards. Delhi government officials were dismissive of Kapil Sibal’s claim on fees and salaries of private schools while principals at the NPSC meet were seen asking each other if they had heard it right. Sibal may claim that Delhi School Education Act, 1973 will not apply once the Right to Education Act is implemented from April 1, a highly-placed source in Delhi government ruled this out.
The unaided schools had last hiked fees following the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations when the salaries of teachers had to be increased in accordance with a provision under the Delhi School Education (DSE) Act, 1973. ‘‘Education is a concurrent subject and Delhi School Education Act cannot be done away with. It will be on us to amend it to accommodate the provisions of Right to Education,’’ said this source.
‘‘The children in these schools are the biggest stakeholder in this matter and we will make sure that their rights are protected. Schools cannot get such a free hand,’’ said this source. According to this source, Delhi government was unaware of the malpractices bill moved by Sibal to keep a check on schools which flout rules. ‘‘Since education is a concurrent subject, such a bill will have to go through the Central Advisory Board for Education of which all state education ministers are members,’’ the source said.
The state government may be hinting at a possible clash with the Centre but the schools are keen to see who wins. ‘‘We cannot say anything till the rules come. But I cannot understand how the state education act will not apply once
the Right to Education is implemented. Many other states besides Delhi have such acts. It is not going to be so simple,’’ said L V Sehgal, principal, Bal Bharati Public School, Ganga Ram Hospital Marg, and vice-chairperson, NPSC.
The idea of getting autonomy, however, is like a dream come true for private unaided schools. D R Saini, principal, Delhi Public School, R K Puram, said: ‘‘There must be some logic behind what the minister said. When we do not get any aid from the government, it should be left to us and the parents to decide the rules. If parents want quality education, they will have to pay accordingly.’’ Manju Bharat Ram, chairperson, Shri Ram School, added, ‘‘May be the minister is trying to reduce the number of controls on schools as controls bring in corruption. Transparent schools will not misuse autonomy but those on the management committee of a school may keep an eye.’’
Schools maintain quality comes with good teachers and good teachers can be retained only with high salaries. Since the fees charged from students is the main source of revenue for schools, parents have to eventually pay up for any hike in teachers’ salaries. ‘‘The Right to Education has a provision which says that schools have to notify their fees but does not give any parameters on how much or how to do it. It will leave hapless parents at the hands of greedy schools,’’ said advocate Ashok Aggarwal, founder of Social Jurist organisation which is also the president of All India Parents’ Association. He added, ‘‘Parents will have to challenge its validity in court. Even a Supreme Court order says that education cannot be commercialised,’’
Teachers from smaller schools have their own fears. A teacher from a north Delhi school said, ‘‘Some schools hire teachers at just Rs 5,000 on an ad hoc basis. Such schools will take more advantage if the pay scales are not fixed by the government.’’
Sibal’s claims contradict provisions in the Delhi School Education Act, 1973, which stipulate that remuneration of teachers in private schools cannot be less than their counterparts in government schools. The minister said this contradiction will go away once the Right to Education Act is implemented from April 1 — implying that it will override the state law.
‘‘There is no such provision in RTE,’’ Sibal said about the salaries of teachers while addressing principals at the 37th annual meet of National Progressive Schools’ Conference — a group of nearly 110 private unaided schools in the city.
‘‘Salaries in private schools do not have to be according to the government. They will decide what they want to pay,’’ he said, countering a speaker at the meet who had earlier said small schools did not have good teachers because they could not afford high pay.
While all schools were not required to pay Rs 22,000 (the minimum basic salary as per the Sixth Pay Commission) to their teachers, there should be no compromise on the qualification of teachers, he added.
Delhi Govt Clean Bowled By Kapil’s Yorker?
HRD minister cites Supreme Court ruling, says fees of private unaided schools cannot be regulated despite laws passed by some state govts attempting to do so
Sibal says Right To Education Act, which comes into effect from April 1, will override Delhi law that requires private schools to pay their teachers govt scales
Under RTE, all schools will be given govt recognition by enhancing their infrastructure and quality
Govt to move a malpractices bill under which all schools will need to give details of their infrastructure, number of students and teachers’ salaries on website
CHARTING A NEW COURSE
Tussle between Centre, Delhi govt on cards
Pvt Schools Welcome Sibal’s Remarks But To Wait & Watch
New Delhi: A tussle between the Centre and some state governments could be on the cards. Delhi government officials were dismissive of Kapil Sibal’s claim on fees and salaries of private schools while principals at the NPSC meet were seen asking each other if they had heard it right. Sibal may claim that Delhi School Education Act, 1973 will not apply once the Right to Education Act is implemented from April 1, a highly-placed source in Delhi government ruled this out.
The unaided schools had last hiked fees following the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations when the salaries of teachers had to be increased in accordance with a provision under the Delhi School Education (DSE) Act, 1973. ‘‘Education is a concurrent subject and Delhi School Education Act cannot be done away with. It will be on us to amend it to accommodate the provisions of Right to Education,’’ said this source.
‘‘The children in these schools are the biggest stakeholder in this matter and we will make sure that their rights are protected. Schools cannot get such a free hand,’’ said this source. According to this source, Delhi government was unaware of the malpractices bill moved by Sibal to keep a check on schools which flout rules. ‘‘Since education is a concurrent subject, such a bill will have to go through the Central Advisory Board for Education of which all state education ministers are members,’’ the source said.
The state government may be hinting at a possible clash with the Centre but the schools are keen to see who wins. ‘‘We cannot say anything till the rules come. But I cannot understand how the state education act will not apply once
the Right to Education is implemented. Many other states besides Delhi have such acts. It is not going to be so simple,’’ said L V Sehgal, principal, Bal Bharati Public School, Ganga Ram Hospital Marg, and vice-chairperson, NPSC.
The idea of getting autonomy, however, is like a dream come true for private unaided schools. D R Saini, principal, Delhi Public School, R K Puram, said: ‘‘There must be some logic behind what the minister said. When we do not get any aid from the government, it should be left to us and the parents to decide the rules. If parents want quality education, they will have to pay accordingly.’’ Manju Bharat Ram, chairperson, Shri Ram School, added, ‘‘May be the minister is trying to reduce the number of controls on schools as controls bring in corruption. Transparent schools will not misuse autonomy but those on the management committee of a school may keep an eye.’’
Schools maintain quality comes with good teachers and good teachers can be retained only with high salaries. Since the fees charged from students is the main source of revenue for schools, parents have to eventually pay up for any hike in teachers’ salaries. ‘‘The Right to Education has a provision which says that schools have to notify their fees but does not give any parameters on how much or how to do it. It will leave hapless parents at the hands of greedy schools,’’ said advocate Ashok Aggarwal, founder of Social Jurist organisation which is also the president of All India Parents’ Association. He added, ‘‘Parents will have to challenge its validity in court. Even a Supreme Court order says that education cannot be commercialised,’’
Teachers from smaller schools have their own fears. A teacher from a north Delhi school said, ‘‘Some schools hire teachers at just Rs 5,000 on an ad hoc basis. Such schools will take more advantage if the pay scales are not fixed by the government.’’
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Myrl Mitchell on
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Ofcourse the government does not want the middle class to have proper affordable education. The rich can afford to pay for expensive education, and pass through and get in to the family businesses. But the middle class man will strive with education, and will try to work against the government. So why educated them. This is India, the less literacy - more votes. The more literacy - less votes. This whole systems works from the bottom. People like you and me should reconsider our whole voting system. This government does not even have a competitor against them. Look around and see whats happening today. Education should be cheap and affordable for one and all. There should be a Fees bracket. Regarding the teachers's salaries yes I do agree that too should have a bracket as per experience, grades, classes etc. Just like any normal working class. Teaching is also a profession, its not like the earlier days, where teachers had a passion and did not care for money. Understandable teachers too need to be paid well too. Most of the Delhi schools are already charging a hefty monthly fee, and thats not all, throughout the year there are many demands. Mr Sibil should really reconsider what his decision. And fix a tag on fee's and teacher's salaries.
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Permalink Reply by RAVINDER K VIJ on
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On one side he is pressing Hard for Right to Education and on other hand by giving free hand to Schools to decide upon the school fee, he is driving away the right of education for middle class people how spend most of their earnings for education of their children.
With this they will be left with no option other than to send their children to either Govt Schools where the education system is altogether is missing or is measerable.
I think it is high time that the people still support the views of this kind of minister.
Lets ask him to better practice in the courts.
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I wonder if his parents struggled too much for his admission into a school and thats why he wants to make sure that we dont have any peace of mind even after we have got our kids into good schools....
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Wah Sibal Ji, kya baat hai, kabhi to nursery age badhane ke naam par public ki wah-wah loot rahe hain aur kabhi aise behaudi statement ki "Schools can fix their own fees" dekar public ki gaaliyan kha rahe hain. Can u tell the public/parents ki in real, what u want? Kabhi aap hihger education mein ghus kar 44 deemed universities ko derecognize karke students ki life se khel rahe hain aur ab primary education ko bhi nahi chod rahe hain, akhir aap chahte kya hain aur kya sabit karna chahte hain. Why not a middle man can give quality education to their wards. Sibal saheb ko shayad ye pata nahi hai ki vo public hi hai jisne unko minister ki seat par bithaya hai aur agar public apna leader chun sakti hai to galat kaam karne par usko seat se utar bhi sakti hai. Sibal ji ko ye baat yaad rakhni chahiye. I request all the parents to unite and be ready for a genuine and long war.
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Permalink Reply by V C JAYAPRAKASH on
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Send this bloody minister to Pahal Room
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After this Right to Demand any Amount of Fees....... Amiown Pre- Nursery school is asking for 18,600 Quaterly (i.e. 6,200 per Month), well I don't know about other Schools
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