Kathua/Jammu Tawi, Apr 16
Taking a lead after barring private schools to collect unreasonable and exorbitant fees under different heads, a monitoring team constituted by the deputy commissioner Kathua today seized various schools' uniforms and stationery items from proxy sales counters of some shop.
A team constituted by Deputy Commissioner Kathua headed by Assistant Controller Legal Metrology Kathua Kuldeep Raj along with Legal Metrology Inspectors conducted extensive market checking in Kathua town.
The team inspected various shops of stationery and school uniforms found numerous items without the name of manufacturer and price. Besides, other items were found not bearing the standard details on the items. The rates of certain items were also found exorbitant.
Taking cognizance of the malpractices by these shopkeepers, the team seized different stationery items along with school uniforms on spot.
The Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, Mr. Rohit Khajuria later disclosed that team has been constituted to check such malpractice by schools in nexus with shopkeepers. He asked people to come forward and report such wrongdoing by the sellers or schools.
Earlier, Khajuria held a meeting with Private School Association and called upon the need to regulate the fee structure as per norms prescribed. He also called for maintaining fair and transparent fee structure and to desist away from taking various fees and charges under different nomenclature.
In another development, the Deputy Commissioner Jammu Kumar Rajeev Ranjan today convened a joint meeting with members of management of various Private State Board Schools and parents of children to discuss various vital issues related to complaints regarding hike in fee structure/commercial activities by management of Private Educational Institutions etc.
With regard to issues of fee hike by some schools, hike in transport charges, selling of books/Bags and other stationery items in the school premises by giving undue benefits to some blue eyed shopkeepers, Deputy Commissioner suggested various measures which will benefit the parents in this regard.
Kumar Rajeev Ranjan asked the school management to submit their fee proposal on the basis of expenses in the school and also providing quality education to the children. He further asked to prepare Grievances cell/ maintained register to resolve the complaints of parents and students in a time bound manner. He directed for proper functioning of school laboratories with complete safety measures besides proper power system, drinking water facilities and well qualified teaching faculty as per the criteria laid down by department of school education.
He suggested the school managements to put notice board with complete information regarding fee charged for different classes and other important information.
Other issues discussed includes that no school management shall enforce any student/parents to purchase books/uniforms/Bags and other stationary items either from the school or from their recommended shops and transport fare shall be charged strictly in accordance to with the rates approved by ARTO Jammu.
