NCR parents’ association writes to DM over non-refund of school fee for Covid years

The association has handed over a memorandum to the district magistrate urging him to form a district fee regulatory committee, comprising parents and other stakeholders, to probe claims and take action in case of non-compliance.

The NCR Parents’ Association has written to district administration in Gautam Budh Nagar over the non-implementation of the Allahabad high court order of January 2023 directing that schools refund 15% school fee collected during the Covid pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.

Parents’ association members after meeting GB Nagar district magistrate Manish Verma on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

The association alleged that several private schools in the district have claimed that they have adhered to the HC ruling but have not refunded the fee.

The association has handed over a memorandum to the district magistrate urging him to form a district fee regulatory committee, comprising parents and other stakeholders, to probe claims and take action in case of non-compliance.

“A memorandum has been received. The matter will be looked into after the election concludes,” said district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma.

Founder, NCR Parents’ Association, Sukhpal Singh Toor said, “After the high court order, UP government had passed an order in February 2023, for all the schools to follow. Since then, the education department have been issuing notices to schools to adhere to the HC ruling but schools have failed to comply.”

“We have not yet got the 15% refund of the school fees of the academic year 2020-21. I have entered a petition in Supreme Court in the case now”, said another resident and social activist, Abhisht Kusum Gupta, whose children study in one of the private schools in the district.

District inspector of schools (DIOS), Gautam Budh Nagar, Dharmveer Singh said, “We have been taking action and following the court orders. Around 140 schools have submitted their compliance report. We follow a uniform procedure of issuing reminders and conducting enforcement. A recent notice was issued in March 2024 to all the private schools affiliated to CBSE. Associations must reach out to us directly and reveal the names of schools that are non-compliant, for more clarity.”.

There are total 225 CBSE affiliated private schools in Gautam Budh Nagar, according to district education officials.