Delhi Governments plan to reveal Private School Accounts - A Welcoming step. Transparency in Financial dealings of unaided schools is most important and this is one of the most significant steps taken by Delhi Government for the benefit of Lacs of people
Running Private School and Colleges in Delhi is
one of the most profitable (business) options. Style of working of many private
schools in Delhi is like corporate houses. Definitely Private Schools are
running under charitable Trust, Charitable Society or Section 25 Company. But,
in practical, they are not really standing for charity. Many of the reputed
schools are notorious for its method of exploitation by accepting donation /
bribe in official or unofficial way. Especially in transfer cases, it is very
difficult to get admission in a private school without spending huge as mount.
Private schools are not liable to publish their financial statements in public domain. They are enjoying all kinds of facilities like allotment of land at concession rate, Tax Exemption for the surplus earned, long period to invest their surplus fund and freedom to increase fee and other charges. There are allegations also that many of the schools are not even paying salary to their teaching and non teaching staff, as per the fixed pay scale. The argument of Private Schools regarding compromising of autonomy and constitutional rights of unaided Schools is totally irrelevant. How their autonomy and constitutional rights will be compromised by publishing the financial result?.
Schools are running under charitable entities and supposed to work for charity. Then what is the difficulty in publishing their accounts. Do they want to hide something? In fact they should support the government initiative to bring more transparency. We know that Private Companies engaged in business are bound to file the Financial Statements with registrar of Companies, which is easily accessible to the public. When commercial entities do not have problem to publish their accounts, what is the difficulty to schools?
The government will definitely face big hurdles while implementing the policy as most of the private schools are owned and controlled by big business groups.
Provisions for punishment with imprisonment is a right step as most of the school authorities are with good financial back ground and not bothered about fine.
Even though the Right to Education Activists not supported the bill fully; the government should make necessary modification on the basis of suggestions received from various social groups without compromising the key principles.
Delhi Government should give more importance to find solution for these kinds of problems, which will be remembered by the people always. The government decision to bring transparency in Financial Dealings of Unaided Schools is a very positive step and everybody should support it.
Higher education is also another field in which parents are being exploited by the Private Educational Institutions. The Government should take necessary steps to control such Institutions also.