The level of action the Jabalpur district administration has taken against the education mafia in the last few days has re-established public trust on the Government. Common public, especially guardians of school students, are quite optimistic that now their voice will not go unheard. The administration has given a sweet surprise to guardians who were victimising dictatorial attitude of school authorities for the sake of their wards. Simultaneously, a terrifying shock to private school authorities indulged in arbitrary fee hike. Teaching a lesson to school authorities who were quite rigid with their ‘so-called’ policies of fee hike, Jabalpur district administration has lodged FIR against total 51 persons for recovering illegal school fee of Rs 81.30 crore and books commission of Rs 4.12 crore. In an interview with ‘The Hitavada’, Collector Deepak Saxena has clarified that the Government intentions and conveyed message to those involved in such financial irregularities that either mend their ways or face the legal action. “As education and medical are two fields where a major section of parents’ income is consumed, unfortunately despite paying hefty fee, students are deprived of quality education and other facilities they are entitled for, within the campus.

 

Schools are the first platform after family, where a child learns values, etiquettes, honesty and loyalty towards his/her country. Few persons who are unfortunately running the same schools, ruin the future of our nation with such acts. Now, time has come for us as a society, to analyse where we stand as citizens of a great democratic nation,” expressed Jabalpur Collector. According to the Collector, “We have conducted proper investigation of 80 schools and none of them have neither updated nor uploaded their audit report on the education portal which is mandatory. Whereas, the Clauses are quite clear that the school authorities need to apply for Collector’s permission that too within 90 days for upto 10 percent of fee hike and for upto 15 percent of hike, the State Government’s permission is compulsory. Shockingly, these schools enforced fee hike upto 45 per cent on the guardians without any permission.” “As per initial fee calculation, these 11 schools have collected the huge amount of more than Rs 900 crores without taking prior permission from the district administration and State Government since April 1, 2018. During investigation, we have reduced the initial calculation with minimum average of illegal fee hike on different grounds, after which we unveiled the scam of Rs. 240 crores recovered by these schools,” disclosed the Collector.

 

It is time when these schools face the consequences for their ill-deeds towards the society. The administration is receiving immense public support which is evident that their sentiments were hurt badly due to schools’ illegal steps and unbearable attitude. They were silent because of their children since decades. We have decided that the extra fee collected by the schools will be recovered and refunded to the parents. Even the Chief Minister appreciated our action and mentioned it an inspiration for others. Today only, the Principal Secretary Education asked about our line of action behind the entire process so that other collectors can also initiate such steps in their respective districts. In a democratic country like India, citizens lead the government to take decisions for the sake of society. Hence parents have the responsibility and right to question the school authorities about necessary permission for fee fixation. Fee hike is not the only scam, commissioning in school uniforms, textbooks and other stationaries also need to be investigated properly and it is present in our agenda.