Hyderabad: Political parties on Thursday came in support of parents’ associations in their struggle for bringing about fee regulation in private schools and vowed to participate in agitations taken up for the purpose.
The Hyderabad School Parents’ Association, along with NGOs working in the education sector, had recently formed a Joint Action Committee for School Fee Regulation.
The JAC held a round-table conference with all political parties on Thursday.
BJP floor leader K. Laxman, Congress deputy floor leader Mallu Bhatti Vikra-marka, TRS leader Ashwin Maganti, AAP leader M. Venkat Reddy, MIM MLC Altaf Hyder Rizvi, CPM leader Sitaramulu and CPI leader Gunda Mal-lesh were among those who took part.
The leaders promised to take up the issue in the ongoing Assembly session and bring pressure on the government to pass legislation on fee regulation along the lines of Tamil Nadu.
JAC leader M. Subramaniam said political support would go a long way in building consensus on passing a Bill to establish an autonomous fee regulatory body for private schools.
Mr Vikramarka said when the government could regulate fees in professional colleges by setting up the Admissions and Fee Regulatory Committee headed by a retired High Court judge, there was no reason why it could not do the same for private schools.
"Almost all parents are dependent on private schools for education of their wards due to poor standards in government schools. The private schools are exploiting this demand and collecting hefty fees. Even for a nursery seat, lakhs in fees are being collected in some schools,? he said and promised to demand a legislation.
