Govt Helping Private Schools, Ignoring Parents: AAP's Bhardwaj On Fee Hikes

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bhardwaj on Thursday accused the Delhi government of acting under pressure from private school lobbies by introducing a school fee ordinance without any legislative scrutiny or public consultation.

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Addressing a press conference, Bhardwaj alleged that soon after the formation of the new government in Delhi, private schools began arbitrarily raising fees under various heads — uniforms, books, stationery, air conditioning, extra classes, and extracurricular activities — without any recourse for parents. He said the fee hike was imposed from April 1, even though the law requires prior approval from the Department of Education.

“The government has not taken action against any school nor asked them to roll back the increased fees. Instead, it quietly brought a law via ordinance without any discussion or public consultation,” Bhardwaj said.

He accused the government of avoiding scrutiny by not tabling the bill in the Delhi Legislative Assembly and instead seeking Presidential assent.