Parents protest school fee hike in Delhi; BJP, Congress seek Delhi Govt's intervention

New Delhi: The Delhi Parents Association on Tuesday staged a protest outside a top private school against an "arbitrary fee hike", with Delhi units of the Congress and the BJP demanding the AAP government's intervention in the issue. While Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta joined the protest in south Delhi, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Anil Kumar said the city government should immediately stop fee hikes by private schools as parents are not in a position to afford them following the economic devastation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The parents' association said it would hold similar protests outside other schools which are increasing fees. "The recent comment by Delhi's education minister claiming that private schools in Delhi have not increased fees in the last many years is a lie. Schools are increasing fees illegally every year in violation of rules and regulations," said Delhi Parents Association president Aparajita Gautam.

"Apart from this, schools are charging fees on unnecessary heads, and even after several complaints forwarded by parents, the government has not taken any action. Parents of many such schools are registering their protest because in almost every school, illegal fees are being collected by threatening to withhold results or to strike off the names of students from the school rolls," she claimed.

Gautam said parents would protest all over Delhi till "the illegal and arbitrary fees collected from them are refunded". Several parents have been alleging that a majority of schools have increased transportation fees by up to 30 per cent citing price hikes in diesel and petrol.

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"The Delhi government has quietly approved the fee hike by private schools as it does not have the courage to lock horns with private school managements. The AAP government should immediately stop the fee hike by private schools as parents are not in a position to afford high fees after the pandemic, which has worsened their financial plight due to job losses and losses in businesses," DPCC president Anil Kumar said.

Delhi BJP's Adesh Gupta said, "Even though Manish Sisodia claims his government has not allowed school fee hikes, private schools in Delhi are charging a high amount as per their own will. When parents complain, the government does not take any action." Gupta added that the Delhi BJP would soon meet with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal over the issue.