Sood said that schools that fall under the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 have to seek permission from the Directorate of Education before implementing any fee hike.
Recently, AAP leaders have launched an attack on the BJP-ruled Delhi government against the alleged fee hikes.
Leader of opposition Atishi on Monday alleged that many schools significantly raised their tuition without proper oversight, emboldened by the BJP. Similarly, last week, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia alleged that the ruling BJP government had handed over Delhi’s education system to the “education mafia” and said that several private schools have hiked fees by 20 to 82%.
To this, Sood challenged the former deputy CM to provide proof of fee hike during the BJP tenure.
“If any evidence is submitted, appropriate action will be taken,” he asserted.
The minister, however, raised concerns about some schools increasing their fees while facing allegations of financial mismanagement during the previous government’s tenure. Sood claimed that these cases involved discrepancies running into crores, and yet no audits had been conducted. He revealed that the Education Department has not received any audit reports from private schools over the past ten years, despite the legal requirement for regular audits. The minister said that an inspection team was recently sent to DPS Dwarka after receiving numerous complaints of continuous fee hikes. He added that all SDMs have been directed to carry out inspections at schools across the city, and institutions will be required to respond to an 18-point questionnaire. To ensure accountability, a committee comprising the deputy director and director of accounts has been formed, he said. The department has also created a dedicated email ID where parents can lodge complaints against arbitrary fee hikes, Sood said.
Source: Economic Times
