Vidya Vikas asked to roll back fees

MARGAO, MARCH 9
The Director of Education has directed the management of Margao-based Vidya Vikas Academy to roll back the fees as per the fee structure approved by the department in 2008-09 until further orders of the High Court.
Parents of the VVA had on several occasion brought to the notice of the Director of Education so also Education Minister, Babush Monserrate that the school management was charging fees in contravention of the Goa Education Act, 1984, wherein it stipulates that the management need to seek the approval for the fees to be charged from the Director of Education.
Welcoming the directions,  Chairman of All Goa Unaided School Parents Association Nisser Dias and also a parent, said the struggle by the parents against exploitation stands vindicated. He further said that the VVA management had been defiant in its functioning despite the orders of the High Court and continued to exploit parents by charging exorbitant fees and today they stand exposed.
“Parents through their complaints to the DoE had attached copies of the fee books, where the management had stamped “Subject To Approval” thereby clearly indicating that there was no approval to charge the unauthorised fees that were being collected from the parents”, he said.
Acting on such complaints the DoE issued a circular signed by deputy director Anil V Powar dated 7th March 2011directing VVA management “to roll back the fee as per the fee structure approved by this Directorate in 2008-09 till the High Court decides the matter and issues the order”.
Ashely Fernandes executive member of AGUSPA and also a parent, while terming it as a parents victory demanded that the management of the school should immediately refund excess fees illegally collected from the parents and at the same issue fresh fee slips with the approved fees of 2008-09 to those parents who have not paid the fees so as to facilitate the payment to the school.