PANAJI: Unaided schools in the state have raised their objection to the circular issued by the directorate of education (DoE) disallowing private schools from hiking their fees for the academic year 2021-22. The unaided schools’ association has said that the DoE circular goes against the recent Supreme Court judgment on private school fees.
“We were surprised to see the circular. Private schools cannot be stopped from effecting their annual fee increase for two years, i.e. 2020-21 and 2021-22. As we are totally dependent on collection of fees from parents and, as we are not getting any aid in any form, the government cannot interfere in the matter,” president of All Goa Government Recognised Unaided Schools Association (AGGRUSA), Vijai Shetti, told TOI.
Shetti said the association will be making a representation to the state education secretary and the director of education on Wednesday over the circular.
“On October 1, 2021, the Supreme Court passed an order which clearly mentioned that the 15% fee waiver was only for academic year 2020-21 and it does not apply to academic year 2021-22. Also that schools can take necessary legal action against the defaulter parents. The SC order allows schools to bar such students from attending classes or exams, can serve them legal notice of recovery, or file a case against them in the court,” said Shetti.
He said that as per the SC order schools can also cooperate with each other by not admitting children unless a full-payment-made certificate is issued from the previous school.
“Many parents have still not paid last year’s fee and some of them have admitted their children in other government and aided schools, which is very sad as such parents are defaulters but were given admission by government or aided schools without school leaving or transfer certificate,” said Shetti.
