After preparing to take-over two branches of Maxfort School, the Delhi government has now asked Kalka Public School in Alaknanda not to increase its fee without permission.
Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia said in a tweet on Wednesday that “no private school on government land can increase fees without permission from the government”.
About 150 parents, whose children attend Kalka Public School, met Mr. Sisodia on Wednesday, after which the government decided to issue this direction to the school.
In another tweet, he added that “we are ready to take harsh steps…..”
However, Kalka Public School said the increase in fee was a routine matter.
Several parents have been challenging fee hike by schools since a Delhi High Court order in January explicitly stated that schools on government land require government sanction for increasing fee if that’s what their lease agreement states.
Meanwhile, Maxfort School, which has been issued a show-cause notices by the government asking why two of its branches should not be taken over following allegations of money laundering, has decided to approach Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. The school authorities also termed the show-cause notices as “frivolous” and “misconceived”.
A statement issued by the school said: “The contents of the show-cause notice are absolutely false, frivolous and misconceived. We shall be replying to the same to the satisfaction of the L-G and are confident that the school will be able to satisfy him that the action of the government is illegal and that the drastic step of takeover is not even remotely warranted in the facts of the case.”
“The school, at various points of time, has fully co-operated with all inspection committees of the Directorate of Education and has supplied or produced whatever documents they desired,” it added.
The Delhi government had earlier this week issued show-cause notices to the Pitampura and Rohini branches of Maxfort School over “financial and management irregularities” and asked them to explain why their management should not be taken over by it. The schools have been given 15 days’ to respond to the notices.
