M A I N   N E W S

Cash-strapped Punjab ends fee waiver for schoolgirls
Sanjeev Singh Bariana/TNS

Chandigarh, March 31
Withdrawing its populist order after three years, the Punjab Education Department has ordered imposition of fees and other funds on girl students as well from Classes IX to XII. The order comes into effect from tomorrow.

Concession stays for weaker sections The Punjab Government would, however, provide free education to girl students belonging to the economically weaker sections of the society up to class XII. — Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister

A formal order issued by Anjali Bhanwra, Principal Secretary (School Education), has withdrawn its earlier fee concession orders of June 2010, July 2011 and August 2012, while announcing implementation of revised fee structure in separate categories of annual and monthly funds from April 1, 2013, onwards.

The students of Classes IX and X will now be required to pay a monthly fees of Rs 15 for the PTA (Parent Teacher Association), Rs 10 for sports and Rs 5 for cultural activities, besides an annual fees of Rs 240 at the time of admission. The students of Classes XI and XII will be required to pay Rs 20 for the PTA, Rs 12 for sports and Rs 8 for cultural activities, besides an annual fees of Rs 300.

Besides, the students of Classes IX and X will be required to pay Rs 30 per month as annual charges, while those of Classes XI and XII will have to pay Rs 40 per month as annual charges. The circular also states that the students will be required to pay, separately, for their laboratory work and also for using computers.

When contacted, a cross section of Principals welcomed the government order, saying the money would contribute towards meeting expenses of schools which were always facing cash crunch.

Amarjit Singh, general secretary of the Punjab Gazetted School Services Association, said: “Practically speaking, government schools were always cash starved. Many times, we don’t have funds to even pay our electricity bills. Fund contribution by girls will help us to take care of at least minor issues and or for organising cultural activities”.

Principal Kamaljit Singh Majithia, Government Senior Secondary School, Jethuwal, Amritsar district, said “Most of the schools, particularly those of girls, were so cash starved that the government had recently released a grant of Rs 50,000 to tide over the crisis of settling their bills. However, the grant amount was consumed too soon as there was no other way to meet the daily expenses”.

A senior teacher, requesting anonymity, said: “Fee waiver exercises of the government were only a populist measure with an eye on votes. Now, as there was no immediate need to garner votes, people will have to pay”.