CHENNAI: More than 2,000 private schools have not applied to the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Fee Determination Committee for revision for 2021-22 academic year, alleging that the amount fixed by the committee was way below that of previous years.
But, committee officials say they cannot fix the same fees as before the pandemic as many parents have lost their livelihood and expenses are fewer for schools after remaining shut for most of the past 18 months.
The committee headed by Justice R Balasubramanian asked private schools to submit expenditure details including salaries, security and sanitation bills for proposed fees for 2021-22 before September 30. While around 4,000 private schools expected to apply for fee revision, only around 2,000 have applied this year.
Earlier, the high court allowed schools to collect 85% of fees fixed for 2019-20 for 2021-22.
“A majority boycotted the fee determination committee as they fixed just 50% of fees compared to the previous year. The committee is not accepting our expenses. They consider expenses only like staff salary, EB bill, PF, professional tax. We cannot run schools with low fees,” said K R Nandakumar, general secretary, Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation Higher Secondary and CBSE Schools Association.
Some schools got ?5,000 for LKG which is lower than the per child cost in government schools. “It is not even 25% of what we asked,” he added. The committee announced that it would consider only 12 counts including staff salary, electricity bill, water and property taxes while determining the fees. It also fixed the fees for one year instead of three years.
“There were no physical classes last year. So, obviously the expenses have come down and fees are being fixed based on the high court order. However, private schools want to retain the fees fixed before the pandemic. With the parents losing their livelihood, the committee cannot fix the same fees for this year,” committee officials said.
Fixing fees based on these counts will be sufficient for running schools and paying the staff, they added.
