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Fee hike: Pro-Reds shut pvt schools
KATHMANDU, APR 19 -
The All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union- Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) on Monday padlocked the accounts sections of around 450 private schools in Kathmandu Valley, a move condemned by schools.
The Maoist aligned union has demanded immediate withdrawal of the hike in fees announced by the schools. It said the “unilateral” decision of the schools is a “gross injustice” for students and guardians.
The Fee Determining and Monitoring Committee under the Ministry of Education (MoE) and proprietors of boarding and private schools, on March 23, hiked the fees in Kathmandu by 25.22 percent from this academic year.
ANNISU-R has been agitating since then. It has said it will announce a nationwide indefinite closure of private schools beginning April 25.
Every guardian of students in private schools will have to pay Rs. 300 to Rs. 700 more now.
The Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation Nepal (PABSON) condemned the union’s move. “This issue does not concern the student unions. They could have expressed their concerns in government schools,” said Rajesh Khadka of PABSON. “Fees can be hiked in agreement with guardians and the schools.” He said ANNISU-R is trying to blow the issue out of proportion for their own publicity.
The school owners say the hike was necessary and that there is no way they could roll it back given the rise in the cost of living.
“The fee-hike is justifiable given the pressure on schools to maintain the quality of education, the general price hike, and the increase in the teachers’ salary,” Gita Rana, Principal of Galaxy Public School, said on Monday.
President of Nepal Guardians’ Organisation Suprabhat Bhandari said the government should intervene if the schools are not following the law while increasing fees.
Posted on: 2010-04-20 07:00
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