‘No two schools alike’: Experts challenge Bratya Basu’s fee control plan for West Bengal private schools

KOLKATA: West Bengal education minister Bratya Basu’s recent proposal to regulate private school fees has sparked significant debate among educators, administrators, and parents. While many view the initiative as a step towards addressing the rising educational costs, significant concerns have emerged regarding implementation challenges and potential impacts on various categories of private schools.

Addressing reporters after his announcement of the proposal to regulate the private school fees, Basu said, “Frequent fee hikes create financial strain for middle-class parents who plan their children’s education expenses at the start of the month. A sudden notice announcing a fee increase disrupts their budgeting. The bill will also address other concerns, including cases of corporal punishment and poor infrastructure in schools.”

Rodney Borneo, principal, St. Augustine’s Day School, Shyamnagar, welcomed the initiative. A teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the broader concern of corporatisation of education. They argued that education should remain knowledge-driven rather than profit-driven. “While schools are consistently increasing fees, how many of them are ensuring parallel increments for teachers?”

The HR and administrative staff often receive significant salaries, but teachers are left behind, said a teacher on condition of anonymity. He further said that Article 30 of the Constitution protects religious and linguistic minority schools from state interference, thus potentially exempting institutions run by Anglo-Indian, Muslim, Parsi, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist, and Christian communities from fee regulation.

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Private Schools: Minority institutions

Gillian Hart, CEO of Welland Gouldsmith Schools ( one in B. B. Ganguly Street and the other in Patuli), also voiced similar concerns. “According to Article 30 of the Constitution, we have the right to run and administer our schools, so the government really cannot interfere in matters of administration. I don’t know how they will overcome this. Will it lead to a spate of court cases? Schools will have to spend money unnecessarily on legal matters,” she said.

Hart also emphasised that many private schools provide scholarships and fee concessions to students. “Some schools charge higher fees, but they also offer financial aid to deserving students. If fee regulation is enforced, how will these schools manage scholarships? These factors must be taken into account,” she added.

Fee regulation implementation: Concerns

The regulation is expected to cover well-known private schools such as GD Goenka, Indus Valley, Narayana Schools, and Delhi Public Schools, but educators stress that implementation must consider the diversity among schools.

“No two schools are alike,” Borneo emphasised, explaining that fee structures are often dictated by the unique facilities and resources provided. “A centrally air-conditioned school with a heated swimming pool, horse-riding facilities, or international faculty from France or Denmark cannot be compared to a school with a different set of offerings. The government must consider these factors while formulating the framework for regulation.”

Hart concurred advocating for a nuanced approach that takes into account the varied infrastructure and services. “Some schools have air-conditioned classrooms, while others do not. Some offer extensive extracurricular activities, while others have minimal facilities. The government must conduct a thorough study before enforcing regulations,” she said.

She also pointed out that school boards keep introducing new requirements that increase operational costs. “For example, the council now mandates that schools maintain a 1:20 computer-to-student ratio. These added expenses must be covered somehow, and in most cases, it is the parents who bear the cost,” Hart explained.

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‘What is an ‘excessive’ fee?’

A key concern is determining what constitutes an ‘excessive’ fee. Borneo noted that private schools operate under strict income tax regulations and do not set fees arbitrarily. “If the intent of the bill is to provide relief to parents, who decides if parents are burdened? Many parents willingly pay for premium facilities. A blanket legislation will not serve the purpose; a socio-academic audit is required to determine the fairness of fee structures.”

The announcement has also drawn mixed reactions from parents. Sudeshna Deb, a parent of a Class 10 ICSE student, said, “This is good, but I don’t think it can be applicable to every school. It will be really difficult to implement.”

Another parent, Kusumika Kundu, suggested, “There should be a fee range, with both lower and upper boundaries, based on infrastructure and facilities.”

School administrators are treading cautiously. Sujoy Biswas, principal of Ram Mohan Mission High School, refrained from sharing his personal opinion but stated, “I will agree to whatever decision the government takes.”

Off the record, educators have expressed stronger concerns about the growing commercialisation of education. “The corporatisation of schools needs introspection. In some cases, it is excessive, even vulgar,” remarked a teacher.

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Mushrooming of private schools

Hart also raised the issue of the unchecked proliferation of private schools. “The government issues No Objection Certificates (NOCs) before schools can get board affiliation. This is the stage where they should conduct proper inspections to assess infrastructure, teacher quality, and overall facilities. However, many schools are being approved without thorough scrutiny, leading to a surge of institutions that may not meet educational standards. If fees are to be regulated, there must also be stricter oversight on new private schools,” she said.

The proposal to regulate private school fees has been in discussion for over a decade, and many believe the time has come for concrete action. “However, the challenge lies in designing a policy that ensures affordability without compromising the quality and distinctiveness of different schools,” Borneo concluded.