Our Correspondent / NEW DELHI
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday warned that 449 private schools in the national capital Delhi to refund “extra fees” charged from students within two weeks or his government will ‘take over’ the schools fail to oblige.
According to CM the government’s takeover threat is an effort to “discipline” schools accused of having overcharged students for years, gives the schools two weeks to get their act together.
Government officials said the 449 private schools that face action include some of the capital’s best known schools. But these schools had disproportionately hiked schools fees after teachers were given a pay hike on the recommendations of the sixth pay commission.
A committee headed by retired high court judge Anil Dev Singh that examined the extent of the hike, however, found many schools had exaggerated the pay-out due to salary and overcharged students.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said many schools increased their fees in the name of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission and the Delhi High Court appointed a committee to look into the issue.
Kejriwal said the committee told the schools to refund the extra fees but many didn’t.
“As they did not comply, the court asked the Delhi government what is being done. We said that we will implement (the report) and if needed we will take over the schools,” he added.
“We’re not against private schools, there is no witch hunting. We are appealing to these 449 schools to implement the committee’s recommendations and give back the extra fees.
“We won’t be silent over this robbery by private schools,” he added.
Education Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the committee examined 1,108 private schools and found that 544 had hiked fees in the name of implementing the Sixth Pay Commission.
He said many schools gave back the extra fees collected and show cause notice have been served to the 449 schools which haven’t refunded the money yet.
“Many of them are giving good quality education and we don’t want to take them over. Our request is (they must) pay back the extra fees.” But Sisodia warned that the government would be forced to take over the schools if they do not stick to the committee’s report.