Bhaktapur, April 19

Parents of school children are in a dilemma after institutional schools refused to implement Institutional School Fee Fixation Standard Directives-2016.

Speaking at an interaction organised in the capital today, Suprabhat Bhandari, president, Guardians’ Association Nepal, alleged that institutional schools were fleecing parents.

He also accused the government of encouraging such schools by not taking action against them.

“The government is encouraging private schools to loot parents in broad daylight,” he said.

The government had implemented Institutional School Fee Fixation Standard Directives-2016 a month ago.“Parents are in a dilemma as private schools have refused to follow the Institutional School Fee Fixation Standard Directives-2016.

They have been compelled to pay whatever is demanded due to lack of action against such schools,” he added.

Lachhe Bahadur KC, president, Private and Boarding Schools Organisation Nepal, said fee structure of private schools had always been an issue of debate. “In fact, we are also in a dilemma following the government’s decision. We are having a hard time appeasing the guardians,” he added.

Karna Bahadur Shahi, president, National Private and Boarding Schools Association of Nepal, said the government had time and again introduced regulations and directives, which were impossible for the private schools to follow.

He also said that it was not fair of the government to keep all schools in the same basket. “It is very wrong to say that all private schools are fleecing parents,” he said.

The government directives set a ceiling on maximum fees that can be charged to students.

It has also made it mandatory for schools to seek consent of two-thirds of parents while finalising the fee structure.