Delhi's New School Fee Act: Bringing Transparency to Education Costs

Delhi's cabinet approved the School Fee Act, aiming to regulate fee hikes in 1,677 private schools, ensuring transparency. CM Rekha Gupta hopes it will revamp government schools, making them a preferred choice. A committee will review fee structures, stopping exploitative practices by private institutions, providing relief to parents and students.

In a significant move, the Delhi cabinet has given its nod to the School Fee Act, designed to regulate increasingly arbitrary fee hikes in 1,677 private schools across the city. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta highlighted that this legislation brings much-needed transparency to school fee structures, marking a halt to unchecked increases enabled by previous administrations.

Chief Minister Gupta also envisions this Act as a catalyst for transforming the government school system into a viable and appealing option for parents currently opting for private institutions. She expressed confidence that this legislative step will eventually make government schools the preferred choice for many, given the transparent and regulated fee environment. Plans are underway to pass the Act into law following its approval in the House.

Delhi's Education Minister, Ashish Sood, reiterated the government's commitment to protecting students and parents from fee exploitation. He accused the previous AAP-led government of facilitating unethical financial practices among private schools. The School Fee Act aims to curb such activities by introducing a structured oversight, including a three-tier committee to handle disputes regarding fees effectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)