M A I L B A G

Schools as teaching shops

Sunit Dhawan’s article, “Private schools or teaching shops?” is timely. Private schools are minting money by exploiting hapless parents. Consider St Xavier’s Sr. Sec. School, Chandigarh. It has approximately 3,000 students. The average tuition fee here is Rs 950 a month. This comes to Rs 28,50,000 a month and Rs 3,42,00,000 annually.

The school management has now hinted at a 10 per cent increase. Further, it charges building fund of Rs 50 and Rs 15 hike in science and computer fee. To exploit parents and mint money, the school has divided monthly fee into various heads. Is there any authority to check these extortionists?

Parents of all private school students should unite and resolve to break the nexus of these merchants of education and officers of the Chandigarh Administration with whose connivance they are looting public.

BHUPINDER SINGH, Chandigarh

II

Private schools are mushrooming everywhere. The only aim of their masters is to earn money and not to serve the community. Many such schools can be easily seen on public roads as if they were dhabas. These roadside showpieces do mock at the whole education system. The parents hardly care for other basic things necessary for an institution.

These schools have neither playgrounds nor halls for indoor games. They are virtually houses in very small shop-like rooms that very easily serve their owners’ purpose of minting money.

The education department must keep in mind the basic amenities and environment required for an educational institution before granting recognition to these schools. If they do not have basic infrastructure and qualified staff, recognition must be denied or cancelled.

Dr VINOD K. CHOPRA, Hamirpur

III

The government is committed to universalisation of education and making education a fundamental right for children up to 14 years to check the dropout rate and raise the literacy level. But the country has to cover a long distance to achieve the targets primarily because of poor monitoring and widespread corruption in the government.

Transparency International, in its recent report, says that education is the most corrupt sector in India. Before inviting foreign players, the problems will have to be tackled on priority fine-tuning the whole education set up to suit international standards. Otherwise, the whole edifice of education will crumble.

Dr R.S. MANN, Amritsar

Parks or garbage yards? IN Sector 19 A, Chandigarh, where I live, there are two green parks in the vicinity, one of them with pleasant paths for walking, and the other an open space, a ‘lung’. It is as if no one has ever heard of things called maintenance or cleanliness. The walking park is fast turning into a dumping ground both for the people who use it and those who live in the neighbourhood. It is littered with all kinds of things. A family has even made it its home with children living there, feeding, washing clothes and so on. In the other park, a house-cum-office has come up at one end — flouting all norms, I am sure. It is filled with cars. One of the fences has been removed to facilitate this. Is anyone looking into this? Or are we to assume that the responsibility of the powers that be ceases the moment a park is inaugurated? B.N. GOSWAMY, Chandigarh

Repair the road

The condition of the Una-Hoshiarpur road is very bad. Drivers of light and heavy vehicles are facing problems as the potholes are very deep. Though the Punjab government had sanctioned funds for repair of this road, the PWD authorities have not yet started the work. Recently, an accident near Bankhandi on this stretch claimed the lives of seven pilgrims.

I request the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to get this road repaired immediately so that those visiting the holy shrines of Baba Balaknath have a hassle-free pilgrimage.

LOVIKA KATOCH, Tharoo Paprola (HP)

Welcome step

I refer to Dr G.S. Grewal’s letter, “IMA on medical ethics” (March 15). I am happy to note that the Indian Medical Association has decided to abolish the commission system. Undoubtedly, it was unethical and a burden on the common man. Poor patients were seeking expensive treatment because of the commission system. People-friendly decisions are always welcome.

PAWAN MUDGIL, Cheeka

Resume trains

Many trains were cancelled during terrorism in Punjab. Most trains resumed after peace returned to the state. But the train Meerut City-Nangal Dam Express which was cancelled from Ambala Cantonment to Nangal Dam has not been restored. I appeal to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to reintroduce this train between Nangal Dam and Meerut city in public interest.

D.C. SHARMA, Naya Nangal