CM orders ‘investigation’ of private schools’ accounts

With a view to control arbitrary fee hike by recognised private schools in the city, the Delhi government has started ‘investigation’ of their account books. The report will be submitted to the government in the second week of August after which the government will take decisions to approve fee hike proposed by some schools.

“Education is a top priority for the Delhi government and our objective is to ensure that education is not commercialised and parents and students are not exploited by a few unscrupulous private managements,” said Arvind Kejriwal while addressing accountants. The CM termed the exercise as “an investigation” and not “an audit”. Calling it a “pioneering effort” Kejriwal said: “I hope this exercise will benefit citizens of Delhi and give new direction to the nation.”

It’s for the first time that the government has taken up such a massive step and the schools will be allowed to hike fee only after approval from the government. By ordering audit of accounts, the AAP government has fulfilled another promise to reform education and ensure parents are not harassed due to arbitrary fee hike by private schools in the city. These private schools have been hiking fee on various dubious grounds without prior approval from the government. The government has appointed empanelled chartered accountancy firm to audit the accounts of these private schools.

According to a senior officer in Delhi government, the Department of Education has already received 97 proposals from various schools for increasing fees. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the charge of the Education Minister, clarified that the state government did not want to control private schools but only wanted the schools to abide by the directives of the Department of Education. 

“These schools were allotted land at concessional rates so they cannot raise the rate of tuition fee without prior sanction of the Delhi government. The Delhi High Court in its order of January 19, 2016 too, stated that unaided schools cannot flout law,” said Sisodia. He further added: “Our government believes that education is a service. It should not be a business activity. Those who wish to do business should choose some other field besides education.”