AAP government initiates action against private schools

The AAP government has reportedly initiated the process against a dozen-odd private schools who have “illegally” hiked their fee and have not returned capitation fee back to their students in the national capital. The government has already referred alleged illegal transaction cases of two branches of the Maxfort School to the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi police.

The government has taken action after parents complained of about a dozen schools regarding the illegal hike in their fee structure and the non-refunding of the capitation fee deposited by them at the time of seeking admissions for their wards.

In their representation to the AAP government, the Maxfort School Parents’ Association alleged the school authorities in Pitampura and Rohini branches had withheld the results of their wards as the authorities had been demanding revised fee which had been hiked illegally. The association said that the school principal, teachers and administration staff have been constantly threatening parents over the phone and through notices that the results of their wards would not be declared if they do not give in to their “illegal and arbitrary” demands of hiked fees.

In her order, deputy director P. Lata Tara said that the results of Classes 6 to 8 of the Parwana Road branch of the school were due on March 26 and that of Nursery to Class 12 of the Rohini branch were scheduled for March 28. It said that even the orders of the education directorate on April 16, 2015, regarding donations refund had not been complied with by the authorities.

The order said that the matter has been examined and it has been observed that the Rohini and Pitampura branches of the Maxfort School had not refunded the amount collected from the parents as donation/ capitation at the time of granting admissions to their wards. “It is held that on the alleged non-payment of the hiked fee by the parents to the school, the Maxfort Scho-ols have struck off the na-mes of the students and withheld the issuance of admit cards to the students appearing for the board examinations. On the inte-rvention of the departme-nt, the school has re-admitted the students and issued admit cards to the concer-ned ones,” the order stated.

The association, through their representation to CM Arvind Kejriwal, had alleged that the school had indulged in “illegal” transaction of huge sums of money to fake companies and individuals. It alleged that illegal transactions made by the school to different societies and trusts was to the tune of about Rs 50 crore. The association had charged the authorities for allegedly indulging in money laundering as well.

The order said: “Matter of alleged illegal transactions of huge sums of money to fake companies, individuals and illegal transfer of funds has been referred to the Economic Offence Wing of the Delhi police vide this directorate’s letter dated 22-03-2016 to register a case and take necessary action in the matter under intimation of this directorate.”

The government also dir-ected the school to refund the donations or capitation fee charged from the parents. It directed the authorities not to demand any arrears from the parents and to declare the results of various classes at pre-determined dates unconditionally without insisting them to pay hiked fee.

“To utilise the reserve fund available with the school account, as well as DRF account, and revert back the amount in the school account, transferred to any society/ trust/ companies, if any as alleged, and meet out the expenditure of the school till the decision of the case registered in the Economic Offence Wing of the Delhi police,” it added.