The Hindu : New Delhi News : ‘Use education cess to offset school fee hike’

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Sunday, Mar 15, 2009
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New Delhi

‘Use education cess to offset school fee hike’

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Delhi Parents’ Council president Praveen Khandelwal said over the weekend that the Delhi Government’s recent order allowing private schools to increase tuition fees has put an additional burden on parents.

Mr. Khandelwal had filed a petition under the Right to Information Act in response to which the Central Excise and Customs Board (CECB) informed him that between 2004 and January 2009 the Government had collected Rs.23,889.83 crore as two per cent education cess and 1 per cent secondary education cess of which Delhi’s contribution was Rs.1,670.03 crore.

Taking the figure into consideration, Mr. Khandelwal demanded that the increased tuition fees and arrears of teachers be paid from the education cess and parents not be burdened with additional financial liability.

Mr. Khandelwal said the Congress Party had in its last manifesto declared that it would spend 6 per cent of the GDP on education, whereas so far much less had been spent. “Therefore, the Government should take immediate steps to provide funds from the education cess to meet the payment to teachers.”

“Parents having more than one child are the worst sufferers. I demand a review of the order by the Government and formation of a joint committee under the chairmanship of the State Education Minister comprising senior officials, representatives of private schools and parents’ bodies,” he added.

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