PANJIM, JULY 12
The State government needs five weeks more to submit final report on the fee structure of private- unaided schools. Advocate General Subodh Kantak told the High Court on Monday that the committee constituted by Directorate of Education (DoE) to look into the issue needs five weeks time to submit its recommendations to the government . The committee was appointed by the government after parents made representations to the department about arbitrary fees being charged by certain schools.
Kantak made the statement during hearing of the petition filed by All Goa Unaided School Parents Association (AGUSPA) demanding that the provisions of the Goa School Education Act, 1984 and Goa School Education Rules, 1986 should be implemented in letter and spirit.
While Section 19(3) of the act allows schools to have their own fee structure, it must be approved by the government. Under the act it is also provided that the schools must submit their audited statements to the education department before submitting their fee structure for the next academic year.
According to AGUSPA some schools have diverted lakhs of rupees that were collected in the form of donations, tuition fees, development fees, computer hire charges, building rents and under other heads, directly into the accounts of their trusts.
This is violation of the Goa Education Act and Rules and money transferred should be re-transferred into accounts of the schools and, only then DoE will get a clear idea extend of misappropriation of funds by managements of the schools, submitted the petitioners.
The court will next hear the matter on July 13.
