Norms to prevent student-shaming over non-payment of school fees

New Delhi: It took six months to prepare the framework for the fees regulation in private unaided schools in Delhi and other states. The reason which drove the child rights body was the complaint where small kids have either been embarrassed due to non-payment of fees in front of other children by the school authority. According to the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), they were filled with the complaints which came from Delhi and other states. It stated that the children's name were called in front of other students as a fee defaulter, in some cases they were even made not to sit in the exams, removing them for school. All these factors affect children for what he or she had prepared over the year, gave her hard work in the study, schools are not allowing them to sit in the exam. "In some complaints, it was alleged that the child was failed due to non-payment of fees," said the official. The case of a school where children were locked in the basement by the school authorities in Hauz Qazi was one of the examples.

Clearing the air, Priyank Kanoongo member of NCPCR stated every single unaided school whether it is minority will come under the framework of fee regulation. Priyank who headed the team for the preparation of the framework told Millennium Post that in one such çase, a minor girl had to sit on the floor in front of her class after his father who is a mechanic was unable to pay the fees. When the poor man visited the school with the fees, the school authority denied taking the money as it was in the form of coins. "It was heartbreaking, without taking much time action was taken against the school. The matter was reported to police," said Priyank. He further added that several complaints came to the commission and at the end of this, they came up with the framework.

Before the framework, commission had also written a letter to chief secretaries after cases of suicidal deaths by the school students were reported due to harassment for non-payment of fee. The commission has been receiving numerous complaints from all over the country where children are being harassed by the schools. As per the newly formed framework, parents can also give their opinion on fees structure. According to new framework, the increase in fee within the levels shall not be more than 10 per cent of the preceding level.