Srinagar, Feb 10:: Amid the complaints pouring in against the private schools for charging money under different heads in violation of the set norms, the School Education Department has set a high level committee headed by the Joint director to redress the grievances of the parents.

The Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Dr G N Itoo said that the directorate has constituted a high level committee headed by a joint director while other senior officials are also part of the committee to look into the complaints received against the private schools. “Wherever we receive complaints from parents against any private school, we (the committee) try to resolve the grievances in a time bound manner,” he said.

As already reported by this newspaper, the Minister for Education Sakina Itoo earlier made it clear that the parents should formally register their grievances against the private schools with the competent authorities rather than taking to social media. She said giving hype to issues on social media will not yield any results.

Meanwhile, Itoo said that the private schools have already been directed to charge only 50 percent of the transport fees from parents during winter vacation months. “The decision has been already approved by the Fee Fixation Committee. The schools have to charge only 50 percent transport fees considering the salary of drivers and also to take care of the maintenance of the school buses,” the Director said.

However, amid the government claims of bringing accountability in the functioning of the private schools, scores of parents said that a CBSE affiliated school in south Kashmir was forcing the parents to clear the tuition fees up to the month of March in advance besides demanding annual charges as well.

“We are ready to pay the fees for February month but the school is forcing us to clear the tuition fees for March as well. It is an unnecessary burden for those who are planning to discharge the kids from the school and admit them in another institution in March,” a group of parents said.