Delhi Government Takes Action Against 11 Private Schools for Fee Increases and Financial Mismanagement
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Synopsis
On April 17, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood announced the issuance of show-cause notices to 11 private schools for unjust fee hikes and account irregularities. This follows a court order for an inspection of a prominent private school in Dwarka, marking a significant action by the Delhi government.
Key Takeaways
- Show-cause notices issued to 11 private schools
- Claims of financial mismanagement detected
- Significant court ruling concerning a Dwarka school
- Commitment to protect students and parents' interests
- Annual audits mandated for all private schools
New Delhi, April 17 (NationPress) After issuing show-cause notices to 11 private schools for unjust fee increases and financial irregularities, Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood announced a significant victory concerning a prominent private school in Dwarka, following a court directive for an inspection led by the District Magistrate.
In a statement to IANS, Sood mentioned that the notices were sent after Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) assessed the accounts and found indications of mismanagement.
“We don’t wish to create a spectacle by detailing the actions to be taken, but I assure you that the Rekha Gupta government is devoted to protecting the interests of students and their parents,” he remarked.
The schools identified by the Minister include Green Land Public School in Rajgarh Colony, Geeta Bal Bharti Senior Secondary School in Rajgarh Colony, Saroj Montessori Public School in Vivek Vihar, Puneet Public School in Vishwas Nagar, Arwachin Bharti Bhawan School in Vivek Vihar, Lancer Convent in Prashant Vihar, The Srijan School in Model Town, Queen Mary’s School, Guru Tegh Bahadur School, Mira Model School in Janakpuri, and St. Gregorious School.
Regarding the notable private school in Dwarka, he stated that a court has instructed the District Magistrate to address the school's excessive practices, leading to the issuance of a show-cause notice.
Sood further claimed that a report from the DM led the court to suggest that the Dwarka school could be taken over by the government due to alleged misconduct.
He noted that, owing to the efforts of the Delhi government, the court has ordered the Director of Education and his team to inspect the Dwarka school to ensure compliance with the Delhi School Education Act, 1973.
“This is how we have managed to resolve a longstanding issue concerning the school,” he criticized the previous AAP government and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for their inaction and for merely using the situation for sensational media coverage.
Sood mentioned that with the assistance of SDMs, the Rekha Gupta government has conducted audits on the accounts of 650 schools, whereas the prior AAP government audited only 750 schools in a decade.
When asked about parental protests regarding fee hikes, Sood stated that complaints of unfair fee increases are not new in Delhi and accused the AAP government of failing to take action against these schools in the past.
“The AAP government merely made sensational remarks about private schools and took populist stances to gain media attention,” he accused the previous administration of inaction against errant institutions.
The Minister highlighted that the Delhi School Education Act, 1973 requires annual audits for all 1,677 private schools in the city, but only approximately 75 schools have been audited each year over the last decade.
Criticizing the “unemployed leaders” of the AAP for raising non-issues to tarnish the reputation of the two-month-old BJP government, he noted that the opposition party has made unsuccessful attempts to spread rumors regarding the suspension of power subsidies and increased power outages since the BJP took office.
He also accused the AAP of reverting to its unsuccessful tactic of making allegations and evading accountability without addressing clarifications and facts provided by the BJP government.
