The Director of Matriculation Schools has issued a circular to the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of all the districts in Tamil Nadu saying that no school management could compel parents to pay capitation fee by giving out bare threats.
According to a report in The Hindu, S Kannappan, the Director of Matriculation Schools directed the CEOs to keep an eye on the schools and that any attempt made by educational institutions to extort money from the parents must be thwarted.
The Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulations) Act, 1973, empowers the government to intervene when schools exploit parents. He also said that no private school, no class or course can be closed without obtaining prior approval of the competent authority. He also added that before closing down a school, the management should make arrangements for the students to complete their education.
“CEOs are requested to apprise educational agencies that it is not that easy to close a private school because all the schools are run by societies or trusts governed by acts/rules. It involves a cumbersome process and a lot of preparatory work which an educational agency, a charitable society or trust has to do to effect closure,” the circular read as per reports.
The law also provides protection to parents and students of private schools against unfair activities like demanding capitation fee over and above the tuition fee.
This circular from the Director comes after a private school in Chennai threatened to withdraw amenities and shut down if the parents do not pay the fee it demanded. The school had sent a circular to the parents demanding Rs 2 lakhs as 'caution deposit' and had given the parents 10 days to decide if they wanted to continue educating their child in the school.