PSA flays constitution of Fee Fixation Committee;’Govt should initially fix fee of tutorials, hobby centers’

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Private Schools Association (PSA) expressed resentment over the notice issued by Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer affairs (FCS&CA) to private schools regarding constitution of Fee Fixation Committee by the government to examine and keep a check on fee structure of unaided private schools.
In this connection, a meeting of Private Schools Association was held here on Sunday under the chairmanship of Prof J.L Kotwal, Chairman PSA J and K in which all district heads from all the districts of Jammu province and executive members of the central body participated.
General Secretary PSA, Ajay Gupta briefed the members about shifting of examination centers from private schools to government schools, serving of notices to private schools by the Fee Fixation Committee and constitution of new committee by the government to examine and keep a check on fee structure of unaided private schools by engaging one more department i.e, FCS and CA for which the Minister for FCSCA and Legal Metrology Department, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali has issued an order in this regard.
The members present in the meeting showed their anguish towards the government for shifting of the examination centers from private schools to government schools as this act of government is giving a dent in the working of the private schools in the society. The members opined that this type of unwarranted attitude of the State Government should not be accepted as government has not codified the nature of work of an unaided private school whether profitable / non-profitable/ charitable.
They demanded some logical decision on of the representation which was presented to the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti through her Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Saadant Hussain on 8th February, 2017.
President of the Association, Kamal Gupta demanded that government should come out with a clear cut policy to support the private schools which are being run by the unemployed only by charging nominal amount of fee for their livelihood, expansion and creation of modern facilities in urban, semi-urban, rural and far flung areas of the State.
Gupta demanded that government should first fix the fee of tutorials, coaching centers, hobby centers, tuition centers etc. which are charging exorbitant amounts since decade.
In reply to the shifting of examination centers from private schools to government schools, Gupta urged upon the government to shift government teachers / lecturers for transparent and effective examination system from their native places to other districts who are deployed by the JKBOSE as invigilators, superintendents, Dy. Superintendents, complex heads etc. and are running their private schools.
While concluding after taking the views of august gathering and with an unanimous consent of the meeting, Gupta declared that on 19th February a State level conference will be held at Jammu to highlight the atrocities inflicted upon the private schools by the State Government although private schools are sharing 50 to 60 per cent load of the government.
Vote of thanks was presented by Vice President PSA, Rameshwar Mengi.
Among those who were present in the meeting included Sanjeev Luthra, Lal Chand, O.P Chandail, Siddeshwar Sadotra, Chain Singh, R.P Sharma, Vaneet Gupta, Ajay Kotwal, Gansara Singh, Jatinder Heera, Vivek Chouhan, Naresh Kumar, Kiran Raina, Usha Jamwal, Raja Shahzad Ahmed, Subash Singh, Dr. Sujeewan Singh, Rajeev Singh, Daljeet Singh, Rashpal Singh and R.D Singh.