The Department of Education (DoE) has expressed serious concern over private schools flouting of the Private and Institutional School s Operation Directives and Supreme Court (SC) order, and directed them to get abided by the legal provisions.

Issuing a press statement after its meeting with various stakeholders on Wednesday, the DoE also directed respective District Education Offices to carry out monitoring and take proper action against those violating the directives and SC order. The DoE’s decision follows reports that the most of the private schools, including those run under various government agencies, were found to be imposing exorbitant sum for admission forms and entrance exams.

Even Budhanilkantha School , whose executive board is led by the secretary at the Ministry of Education, along with Nepal Police and Army school were found to be charging Rs 350 to Rs 1,000 for the form and entrance.

On May 23 last year, the division bench of Justices Tahir Ali Ansari and Baidya Nath Upadhaya at the apex court had directed all the concerned bodies not to charge more than Rs 25 for an admission form and Rs 100 in examination fees. It also directed the Prime Minister’s Office, the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Education to monitor the compliance of its order. Based on the verdict, the DoE with the consent from the umbrella organisations of private schools had incorporated the provision in the new directives issued on February 19. However owing to lack of proper monitoring, most of the institutions are still collecting exorbitant sums from students.

“All the schools are directed not to charge more than Rs 25 for the form and Rs 100 for the entrance exam. Those found violating the provision will be booked under Clause 17 (2) of Education Act,” reads the DoR statement. It has also directed all the schools to develop student selection procedure and make selection process transparent.

source: The Kathmandu post,21 march 2013