Team Herald
PANJIM: Schools appear to have now found ways to dodge the Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act, 1987 and Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009, by charging steep fees under non-prescribed heads.
According to sources, many aided schools charge between a few thousands and a few lakhs of rupees as donations, depending on the ranking of the school. These fees are charged right from primary up to the college level.
Parent say schools ask parents to pay a certain amount under various heads for PTA, development of school or building and infrastructure fund or as education fee for the school’s maintenance. The RTE Act and Prohibition of Capitation Fee Act, state that charging capitation fees in any form, under any head not prescribed by the Education Department is unlawful and schools, if caught, will have to pay 10 times the amount charged.
“Government-aided schools across Goa or for that matter schools in Panjim have, over the years, been charging capitation or donation fees under various pretexts such as infrastructure, building, PTA fee or staff welfare fees. If the school is taking a subsidy from the government why are they charging these exorbitant fees at the time of admissions?” asked a parent from Miramar seeking anonymity
Another parent from St Cruz said, “Since we needed the seat badly, and that too in a reputed school, there was no option but to pay the donation along with the fees. The schools cleverly distribute some other fees during the academic year under various heads.”
Parents said that only a few choose to file a complaint with the education authorities while others fear there can be a backlash resulting in losing their ward’s seat and admission.
Speaking to Herald, Goa Headmaster Association (GHA) president Vithoba Desai said, “The government has reiterated its stand against capitation or exorbitant fees under various heads like infrastructure fee, donations or building maintenance fees. Any aided school has to give education without accepting capitation fees and taxing parents if the school is already gaining subsidies from the government.”
Directorate of Education (DoE) recently took serious cognisance of the admission procedures adopted by a school that had sought support of parents on religious grounds for admissions, for the academic year 2018-19, in its Marathi medium primary school, and had further inquired about donations with parents approaching for admissions of their wards.
“It is brought to the notice of the undersigned that many schools resort to unfair means in the admission process which include advertising the admission process, holding of screening test, interview of parents, etc,” said Education Director G P Bhat in a circular.
The department warned that those charging capitation fees shall be punished with a fine which may extend to 10 times the capitation fee charged, while schools resorting to child screening procedures will be fined Rs 25,000 for the first contravention and Rs 50,000 for subsequent contraventions.
The RTE Act clearly prohibits the practice of accepting donations from parents during admission but nothing seems to be stopping schools from charging exorbitant fees during the year which parents continue to pay.
