*Private School Fees vs Government University Fees*
*Self-financing institutions are the backbone of education: Jagjit Singh Dhuri
Jandiala Guru Kuljit Singh
Reacting to the ongoing discussions by the Punjab government regarding reducing the annual rate of increase in fees of unaided private schools from 8 percent to 5 percent, Federation of Private Schools and Associations of Punjab (FAP) state president Sardar Jagjit Singh Dhuri said that such a decision will not be in the interest of either the parents or the educational institutions.
He said that if the government really wants to reduce the financial burden on parents, then first of all private educational institutions should be given relief from direct and indirect taxes and various government fees. He said that a meeting of district presidents and core committee members from across Punjab was held in Ludhiana recently, in which it was decided to give strong and fact-based representation to the government in this regard.
Sardar Dhuri said that at present, there is an inflation rate of 5 to 6 percent every year. Apart from this, there is a continuous increase in electricity, maintenance, technical infrastructure, security arrangements and other administrative expenses. In such a situation, if the fee increase is limited to 5 percent, then in reality there will be no additional financial resources left for schools.
He said that this will have a direct impact on the salaries of teachers and other employees and it will also be difficult to give them a respectable salary increase.
The availability of qualified and motivated teachers is very important for quality education.
He said that the fees for mandatory fire safety and building safety certificates for schools have also increased by 100 to 200 percent.
Sardar Dhuri raised the question that when government universities, colleges and other government educational institutions increase their fees, there is no fixed limit for it. Then why are different standards being adopted for private schools? He said that while making policies for all institutions related to the education sector, consistency and practicality should be kept in mind.
Sardar Dhuri said that the federation will present its side to the government with facts. If the government takes a unilateral decision without hearing all the parties, then all legal options will be considered, including knocking on the door of the honorable court to protect the interests of the educational institutions.
He said that there are a large number of schools in Punjab whose monthly fees are between Rs 3000 and Rs 5000. If such schools are not allowed to increase their fees reasonably, it will be difficult for them to provide quality education, modern facilities and respectable salaries to qualified teachers.
*FAP Amritsar District President Sardar Jagbir Singh*, supporting the views expressed by State President Sardar Jagjit Singh Dhuri, said that the self-financing schools of Punjab have made a significant contribution in raising the standard of education. Today, these institutions are providing quality education, modern facilities and qualified teachers to lakhs of students. Therefore, before taking any policy decision, detailed discussions should be held with all the stakeholders related to the education sector.
Finally, Sardar Jagjit Singh Dhuri and Sardar Jagbir Singh expressed the hope that the Punjab government, keeping in mind the realities of the education sector, will take a decision that strikes a balance between the interests of parents, students, teachers and educational institutions, so that both the quality of education and the stability of the institutions can be maintained.
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