Kathmandu District Fee Fixation and Monitoring Committee today determined the maximum fee private schools in the district can charge students in the new academic session, that begins after two months.

The committee today increased the fee structure in the current academic session from minimum 15 per cent to maximum 25 per cent. For ‘C’ grade schools, the committee has determined maximum monthly fee at Rs 1,100 for primary level, Rs 1,250 for lower secondary level and Rs 1,700 for secondary level.

Currently, ‘C’ grade schools have been charging a maximum monthly fee of Rs 950 for primary level, Rs 1,000 for lower secondary and Rs 1,350 for the secondary level .

As per education regulations, though the fee structure is determined by the FFMC for ‘C’ grade schools, an ‘A’ grade school can hike fee by 50 per cent and ‘B’ grade schools by 25 per cent more than that. Likewise, ‘D’ grade schools have to deduct 25 per cent from the fee ceiling determined by FFMC.

The District Education Officer chairs FFMC in the district, while the director general chairs the Central Fee Fixation and Monitoring Committee in the Department of Education. Members of the committee include representatives from guardians association, private schools’ associations, and teachers association.

When the FFMC met on Thursday, it did not unveil the fee ceiling though stakeholders were very close to consensus.

According to the sixth amendment to the Education Regulation, FFMC in every district should publicise the maximum fee limits in private schools three months before the commencement of an academic session.

After garnering consensus among guardians and teachers, the school management committees should propose the fee structure in respective DEOs two months before the beginning of a new academic session, for approval.

After that schools should publicise the approved fee structure on their notice boards for public attention.

Baikuntha Aryal, District Education Office, Kathmandu, admitted they were late in publicising the fee structure. “Delay in publicising the fee ceiling would have no impact on the new academic session because schools have been directed to admit students only after March 28. Therefore, schools and others concerned still have ample time to carry out the remaining activities.”

The academic session commences from mid April.

Gita Rana, president, National Private and Boarding Schools Association of Nepal said, “This is the monthly fee structure for students who study during school hours between 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, but we need to charge more for extra classes in morning and evening shifts.”

Suprabhat Bhandari, president, Guardians Association of Nepal, who is also a member of CFFMC today said, finally the committee had accomplished its assigned task.

He said, “We will be visiting schools to see whether they are giving salary on par with government school teachers and whether the school has appropriate physical infrastructure for students before implementing the new fee ceiling.”

Cap for C grade schools

Level            Present fee (per month)        Hiked fee (per month)
Primary                     Rs 950                                   Rs 1,100
Lower seconded   Rs 1,000                                  Rs 1,250
Secondary              Rs 1,350                                  Rs 1,700

* A and B grade schools can charge 50 per cent more than the fee fixed for C grade schools, while D grade schools have to deduct 25 per cent.

source: The Himalayan Times, 19 Feb 2012