School fee hike sparks protest by parents in Delhi, demand reforms
While a small delegation was granted a brief interaction and promised further discussion, no follow-up communication occurred despite formal reminders.As part of the protest, parents submitted a detailed memorandum addressed to the Lieutenant Governor, Chief Minister, and Education Minister, highlighting several key concerns. These included unauthorised fee hikes, alleged misuse of school funds, and violations of student rights.The memorandum also objected to the recently passed Fee Regulation Ordinance 2025, which protestors claimed was implemented without sufficient public consultation.KEY DEMANDS RAISED BY PARENTSAmong the major demands listed were:Rollback of unratified fee increasesIndependent audits by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and forensic expertsGovernment-supervised parent-teacher association (PTA) elections for inclusive governanceAction against schools that shame or penalise students over unpaid fees, in violation of Article 21A of the ConstitutionParents also called for schools to shift to a monthly fee collection system, stating that lump-sum payments put undue financial pressure on families.They advocated for all infrastructure purchases to be routed through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) to ensure cost-effective and transparent spending.Another significant demand was for public disclosure of approved fee structures by the Directorate of Education on both government and school websites.UPV CALLS FOR FAIRNESS AND DIALOGUEAccording to Rahul Gupta, a parent and UPV member, the protest reflected the community's frustration after exhausting all formal channels.'We have tried all channels, emails, meetings, even written representations to the highest offices. Today's gathering is a collective call for fairness and dignity in our children's education,' he said.UPV reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful civic action and urged the government to initiate an open and transparent dialogue with concerned parents.The group also mentioned that earlier appeals had been sent via email and speed post to the President, Prime Minister, and Union Home Minister, seeking immediate intervention.As parents continue to push for greater accountability in private education, they have vowed to persist with peaceful advocacy until meaningful reforms are achieved.(With inputs from PTI)- EndsMust Watch
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