Extra fees charged flouting guidelines

Most of the non-government schools are charging extra amounts for readmission bypassing the government guidelines in this regard, guardians have alleged. 
These institutions are also charging other fees in different names amid no or little monitoring by the authorities concerned and no effective steps to stop these irregularities, they say.
When guardians raise their voice against such violations of government guidelines, the authorities create pressure on them by threatening to shut down the institutions. 
The father of a student of Engineering University School and College in the capital said he had to pay Tk 11,200 for readmitting his son in Class III from Class II. 
A Holy Cross School student’s mother alleged that for readmission of her daughter in Class V from Class IV the school authorities charged Tk 8,000 in so-called session fees, Tk 500 as generator fee and Tk 605 for exercise books. 
She alleged that the school authorities never ran generator even during load shading. 
In cases of Class VI, students had also to pay extra in course fees and other expenditures, she added.
Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education director (secondary) Professor Md Abdul Mannan, talking to New Age on Tuesday, admitted having allegations from guardians that different non-government schools were charging extra during readmission. 
Leaders of teachers’ associations have also alleged that most of the non-government school authorities are violating the government guidelines while taking readmission and other fees. 
The mother of a YWCA Junior Girls High School student said that they paid Tk 10,000 in readmission, photocopy and other fees for readmitting her daughter in Class I from kindergarten class. 
‘There is no strong protest against this menace anywhere as everyone is hostage to the school authorities,’ she added. 
Another mother of a Class IV student of Ideal School and College at Motijheel alleged that she had to pay Tk 7,150 in session, Tk 1,300 monthly tuition and other fees for poor fund, milad, magazine and so on to readmit his son from Class III. 
As per the admission policy for students of secondary, lower secondary and primary levels, the non-government educational institutions with MPO cannot charge more than Tk 5,000 and institutions with partial MPO not more than Tk 8,000 in Bangla version and Tk 10,000 in English version including monthly tuition, development and session fees. 
In cases of readmission, the institutions will not take any fees except the session charges. 
New Age Barishal correspondent reports that different kindergarten authorities have realised up to Tk 3,000 in readmission fees. 
In secondary level, schools including Shaheed Abdur Rauf Serniabat Secondary School, Popular Secondary School and AK School charged between Tk 1,200 and Tk 3,300 in different classes in session fees. 
New Age Khulna correspondent reports that Tk 1,221 to Tk 1,271, including mosque, internet, magazine, library and scout fees, are being charged by Government Model Secondary School in the metropolitan city from students for their readmission in Class V from Class IV. 
New Age correspondent in Sylhet reports that in Metro City Pre-Cadet School has charged Tk 1,500 in session fees for a student’s readmission in Class III from Class II. 
An additional amount of Tk 1,000 is also charged for books and exercise books. 
Guardians have also alleged that different non-government schools are charging syllabus, identification card, badge, diary and cultural fees during readmission. 
Summing up all these fees, they have to count a handsome amount of money during their children’s readmission, which has become a regular phenomenon. 
Bangladesh Shikkhok Samity president Md Nazrul Islam Rony says that most of the schools across the country including the renowned ones are charging extra in readmission fees. 
The school authorities are charging extra from students to pay salaries of the teachers, he states.
The school committees also play a strong role in charging extra from students during readmission, he adds. 
‘There is a law but there is no implementation,’ he observes, adding that the government is a kind of helpless against this widespread irregularities. 
Professor Md Abdul Mannan stresses that none can charge any other fees violating the guidelines and adds that district and upazila level education ministry officials are monitoring the situation.
Action is being taken where the allegations have been proved, he claims.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net