Bengaluru: Over 160 private schools get notice for fee hike

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Education Department has served show cause notices to as many as 165 private schools in Bengaluru following complaints that they had hiked fees for the upcoming academic year 2020-21.

It maybe recalled that the government had vide a circular issued on April 28 prohibited schools from hiking the fees by the usual 15 per cent in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown. A helpline was also launched for parents to report complaints if schools violated the order.

It is gathered that over 800 complaints were received on this helpline. Of the 829 complaints received as many as 710 complaints pertained to 116 schools from Bengaluru South. 113 complaints were received against 45 schools from Bengaluru North, and 6 complaints against 2 schools from Bengaluru Rural.

On the basis of these complaints a notice has been served to 163 schools.

The letter states, “You have not obeyed a government order despite a reminder, which is an outrageous indifference on your part. Tell us why we should not take disciplinary action against your school.”