Fortis Jessa RamHospital discriminates EWS patients

Delhi High Court constituted Monitoring Committee of which I am a member inspected Fortis Jessa Ram Hospital, Karol Bagh, New Delhi on 09.03.2013 and found that the free ward was apparently like a make shift arrangement in the corridor of the Building. It is interesting to note that during the earlier inspection which was done about 6 months back, the monitoring committee pointed out in writing to the hospital authorities that such an arrangement is undesirable, discriminatory and in violation of Supreme Court and High Court orders and the free ward needs to be shifted in the Hall/Room immediately. The then M.S. had committed that the free ward would be shifted inside the Hall/Room shortly. The members of the Monitoring Committee were shocked to find that the free beds were still in the Corridor and the ews patients were lying there.

AIPA SUPPORTS NIFT STUDENTS FIGHT AGAINST FEE HIKE

PARENTS NOT TO PAY HIKED SCHOOL FEE - AIPA

Delhi High Court constituted Justice Anil Dev Singh Committee to determine the justifiability of fee-hiked in 2009 by unaided private schools of Delhi in its two interim reports submitted in the High Court has held that most of the private schools have unjustly and without actually requirement increased fee and other charges and directed refund of the same to the parents with 9% interest thereon. In view of these finding of the Committee, it would be advisable to all the parents to not to pay the hike fee in 2013-14, till a school gets prior approval of the hiked fee from Justice Anil Dev Singh Committee. The parents should note that there is no law permitting the schools to increase the fee every year by 10%. The law is that it can be increased or decreased depending upon the actual requirement of a school. Advocate Ashok Agarwal, National President, All India Parents Association (AIPA) M-09811101923

NATIONAL SHAME

Scene at 7.00 am on 15 August 2012 at G.T.Road, Tis Hazari, Delhi - A Rag-picker Child Labour - Independence Day is meaningless for him

NATIONAL PRIDE

scene at 6.30 am on 15 August 2012 at historical monument (BONTA) at North Campus (DU) - Morning Walkers celebrating Independence Day

AIPA NATIONAL HELPLINE FOR EWS ADMISSIONS IN UNAIDED PRIVATE SCHOOLS

EWS ADMISSIONS IN UNAIDED NON-MINORITY SCHOOLS UNDER RTE ACT 2009 - admission process in nursery classes for the year 2013-14 is going to start in many schools from September 2012 - parents whose wards are eligible for admission in EWS category in unaided non-minority private schools should take steps to ensure that their applications for admission should reach to the schools in time - All India Parents Association (AIPA) helpline (Mob. 9868529459) may be used for any help. AIPA chapters in different States/Districts in the country are requested to open their respective helplines to help the parents facing any kind of problem. Ashok Agarwal, Advocate National President, AIPA M-09811101923

HIGH COURT ORDERS 25% EWS ADMISSIONS IN ALL CLASSES UPTO CLASS I IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

The Delhi High Court today ordered that all unaided private schools which start from the pre-school/nursery level shall admit students belonging to disadvantaged Group & Economically Weaker Section to the extent of 25% in Pre-School and in addition they will also admit 25% of additional admission made at the Pre-Primary/KG level and in Class I. The court further held that all unaided private schools starting from pre-primary/KG level shall admit students upto 25% in pre-primary and in addition they will also admit 25% of additional admission made at Class I level. For such schools starting from Class I, the Court ruled that there shall be a reservation of 25% for Economically Weaker Section/Disadvantaged Group in Class I. While disposing off a petition filed by Social Jurist, through advocate Ashok Agarwal and Khagesh Jha, a division bench comprising the Acting Chief Justice, Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw ruled that in all unaided private schools which start from the pre-primary level, 25% of the total seats will be reserved for EWS/DG students in pre-primary and Class I level. Placing reliance on a Supreme Court judgment dated 12.04.2012 which had upheld the constitutional validity of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, the court has repeated its earlier order specifying the deadline for special drive by DOE to admit students against all EWS/DG vacant seats by 30.06.2012 in the academic session 2012-13. Ashok Agarwal, Advocate M-09811101923 23 May 2012 IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI C.M. NO.______ OF 2011 IN W.P. (CIVIL) No. 8434/2011 (Public Interest Litigation) IN THE MATTER OF: Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group …… Petitioner Versus Govt. of NCT of Delhi …… Respondent APPLICATION ON BEHALF OF THE PETITIONER UNDER SECTION 151 OF CPC FOR DIRECTIONS MOST RESPECTFULLY SHOWETH: 1. That the respondent filed an status report on 09.05.2012 in this Hon’ble Court where it has been mentioned that they have sent a letter for clarification to the Ministry of Human Resource Development to clarify that whether EWS /DG admission is applicable in classes other then the class which is starting class in the school in such a case where school starts from pre school (3+) or pre primary (4+) classes and whether it is 25% of strength of class or 25% of new admission in the class. 2. The petitioner submits that the DOE has now issued an order dated 18.05.2012 wherein amongst others it has stated that the vacancies in respect of other classes of schools where the entry class starts from pre school and pre primary, will be displayed on receipt of clarification from Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. A copy of the said order dated 18.05.2012 is enclosed hereto as Annexure A-1. 3. The petitioner submits that the issues raised by the respondent in the status report dated 09.05.2012 may either be clarified by this Hon’ble Court or in alternative, the HRD Ministry be directed to clarify the issues immediately so that the admission process may be completed by the end of the June 2012 as directed by this Hon’ble Court in the orders dated 09.05.2012. It is respectfully submitted that if the same is not done, the admission process is bound to delayed or defeated. It is, therefore, prayed that this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to clarify the issues raised by the respondent or in alternative, direct the HRD Ministry to clarify the same immediately. . Ashok Agarwal & Khagesh B. Jha Advocates for the Petitioner 483, Block-II, Lawyers Chambers, Delhi High Court, New Delhi – 110003 Ph: 23384000, Mob-9811101923 Delhi Dated: 22.05.2012

IS THE MCD COMMISSIONER UNAVAILABLE?

A SPEED POST TO THE MCD WAS RECEIVED BACK WITH POSTAL REMARKS "UNDELIVERED'.

AIPA seeks a uniform policy to allow children of the locality after school hours to use playground of all the unaided private schools built on public land

ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION (AIPA) AGARWAL BHAWAN, G.T.ROAD, TIS HAZARI, DELHI-110054 To Shri Kamal Nath Hon’ble Urban Development Minister Government of India Nirman Bhawan New Delhi – 110001 08 May 2012 Subject – Need to have a uniform policy to allow children of the locality after school hours to use playground of all the unaided private schools built on public land Dear Sir We wholeheartedly support the proposal of the Union Sports Minister Shri Ajay Maken to you to allow children of the locality after school hours to use playground of all the unaided private schools built on public land. It is submitted that at present there are as many as 394 identified unaided private schools to which public land on concession rates has been allotted by DDA or L & DO. Most of these schools to which public land was allotted during 1960’s and 80’s, one-third of the total land was apportioned for playground on payment of Re. 1 per annum as rent. In 1990’s, the land allotted for playground was fixed after the payment of nominal ground rent at Rs. 5000+120% enhanced per acre per annum. The land allotted for the playground was required to be used for playfield only and no structure of any kind over it was permissible. The concern, we wish to share, is that though public land was allotted to hundreds of societies for construction of schools but only in some cases, the letter of allotment contains a clause that the land meant for playfield would be allowed to be used in non-school hours by local children and the entry to the field would be from outside and not from inside the school. We are enclosing hereto copies of allotment letters of as many as five societies to whom land was allocated for construction of schools with a condition that they would permit children of the locality to use the playfields of the schools after school hours. The names of such societies are: 1) St. Lawrence Education Society, Sector-C, Pkt.-8, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi - 110057 2) S. Kirpal Education Society, ½, Jai Dev Park, New Delhi - 110026 3) Prince Public School Society, Budh Vihar, Delhi - 110041 4) Titiksha Academic Society, 122/18, Bhola Nath Gali, West Ghonda, Delhi - 110053 5) Shiv Shakti Educational Society, B-1193, Mongolpuri, Delhi - 110083 The allotment letters of all these societies contain the identical clause which is reproduced as under: “6.(A) The land meant for play field would be allowed to be used in non-school hours by the local children. (B) The entry to the field would be from outside and not from inside the school.” The sorry state of affairs is that such benevolent and child friendly stipulation does not appear in the letters of allotments to all the societies/schools. Therefore, there is a need to have a uniform policy for the schools in this regard; to incorporate this condition in all cases of the allotments of public land to societies/schools. It is needless to say that right to play is a fundamental right of every child. We, therefore, hope that you will personally look into this matter on urgent basis and ensure that such condition is not only incorporated in all the letters of allotments but is also implemented in its true letter and spirit to safeguard the rights of the children. With regards Ashok Agarwal, Advocate President, All India Parents Association M-09811101923

AIPA CALL FOR OPENING AIPA CHAPTER IN EVERY DISTRICT OF INDIA

All India Parents Association (AIPA) desires to have its chapters in all the Districts of the Country. The fundamental agenda is: (1) up gradation of all government schools all over the country to the level of Kendriya Vidyalaya (Central School) and (2) enactment of Central Law to regulate school fee in all the unaided Private schools all over the country + minimum 50% representation of the parents in the managing committee of such schools. Those who are interested in the issues and wish to open a chapter of AIPA in the District are requested to write to aipa.india@gmail.com or juristashok@gmail.com and sms to 9811101923 Ashok Agarwal, Advocate National President, AIPA M- 09811101923

TEACHER ILL TREATS CLASS VIII STUDENT

UNFORTUNATE & CRUEL- Economically poor Class VIII student of Guru Harkrishan Public School, India Gate (situated on govt allotted land on highly concession rates with a view that the school will provide free education to economically weaker student) today got two slaps on his face besides hearing humiliating words from his teacher. His fault is that he boarded school bus to go back to home after school was over and the heartless teacher pulled him out of bus under the incorrect impression that the student has not deposited bus fees. What kind of education institutions we have?

PARENTS PROTEST AGAINST SCHOOL DISCRIMINATING CHILDREN

A large number of students and parents of St Lowrence Convent School, Geeta Colony, as well as parents members of All India Parents Association today protested outside the office of the Director of Education, Govt of NCT of Delhi, Old Secretariat Building against serious psychological violence on hundreds of innocent children studying in St. Lowrence Convent School by the school authorities in the guise of ‘’Smart Class’’.

With placards in their hands, the protestors shouted slogans against the government and school authorities. The protestors led by social activist and national president of All India Parents Association, Mr Ashok Agarwal, thereafter met the Director of Education and apprised him of the blatant discrimination taking place in the school. Mr Agarwal also submitted a detailed memorandum in the matter and sought immediate action against the school in the matter.

According to Mr Agarwal, the school has increased the fees in the mid-session in the guise of Smart Class in clear violation of Section
17 of Delhi School Education Act, 1973 as the school has not obtained prior permission from DOE for increasing the fees. Moreover, when the parents objected to the illegal action of the school, the school resorted to discriminate their wards by separating their classes. Even 41 EWS students were not spared by the school as they were declined the facility of EDUCOMP as they were unable to meet the demand of the school. They were also unjustly separated by other students.

Narrating the humiliation, harassment and discrimination by the management and school authorities of St Lowrence Convent School, the children and their parents said they have been completely traumatized; and if no immediate action is taken to check it would leave a permanent scar on the innocent minds.

According to the memorandum submitted to the Director of Education, some glaring facts relating to the case are as follows:

(i) The school has implemented a new "Smart Class" program and is
charging Rs 400/- per month per student. And from 17.10.2011 onwards
school has divided (DISCRIMINATED) students as "EDUCOMP STUDENTS" and
"NON-EDUCOMP STUDENTS." Therefore, those students who have not paid
this "Smart Class" Charges are not allowed to sit with their
classmates for merely Rs. 400/. This is despite the fact that all
students have already paid their Quarterly Fee of approx. Rs. 8,500.

(ii) The school authorities have gone to the extent of dividing
(discriminating) non-educomp students’ classes in different rooms and
even teachers, sections and their classmates have been changed.

(iii) This sudden discriminatory change in the middle of the session
will not just make the children unable to concentrate in their studies
but will have a serious negative psychological impact on their
innocent minds.

(iv) As many as 500-odd students have not paid this Smart Class Charges.

(v) This Educomp charge itself is on the higher side. The school has
Educomp as their Official Partner in this project. On the website of
Educomp it is clearly mentioned that Smart Class Charges are between
Rs 100-150 per student per month.

The memorandum further stated that the aforesaid action on the part of the school
tantamount to commercialization of Education. It is all greed on the
part of the school which has resulted in exploitation of hapless
parents/students. Apart from that, the same is in clear violation of
Section 17 of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act,
2009 which prohibits physical punishment and mental harassment to
child. Moreover, the same amounts to cruelty to child and attracts
punishment under Section 23 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection
of Children) Act, 2000. U.S. Supreme Court in
case of Brown v. Board of Education 347 U.S. 283 (1954) where it has
been held that “separate education facilities are inherently unequal”
and thus, violate the doctrine of equality.

IT IS ALL GREED

CASE OF HUMILIATION, HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION OF HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT STUDENTS BY THE SCHOOL - All India Parents Association (AIPA) has received a complaint from the parents body of St. Lowrence Convent School, Geeta Colony, Delhi regarding serious psychological violence on hundreds of students by the school authorities in the guise of "Smart Class". AIPA is going to ask the Director of Education to immediately intervene in the matter otherwise the parents/students would stage a peaceful demonstration on Monday 24 October 2011 at 4 pm in front of his office at Old Secretariat Building, Civil Lines, Delhi-54.

RIGHT TO EDUCATION - THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN DHARNA

ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION
Agarwal Bhawan, G T Road, Tis Hazari, Delhi-110 054 Tel:9811101923, 91.9717278279

PRESS RELEASE

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE PARTICIPATE IN MASS PROTEST RALLY AND DHARNA OUTSIDE RAJGHAT ON SUNDAY MORNING

NEW DELHI, 9 October: Thousands of people from all walks of life, which included a large number of women and children, took part in a mass rally and dharna outside Rajghat to protest against the arbitrary school fee hike in private schools in Delhi and other parts of the country.

The protest rally was organised by the All India Parents Association (AIPA), the apex parents body which was formed following the arbitrary fee hike undertaken by private schools on the pretext of the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations.

Speaking at the rally, social activist and AIPA national president, Mr Ashok Agarwal stressed the need to reform the school education in the country. Mr Agarwal sought the enactment of a Central law to regulate the fees and other charges in unaided private schools all across the country as well as a resolution by all the State Assemblies in support of the same.

There was also an urgent need to remove the disparities between various government schools, he said, and all government run schools should at least be brought to the level of Kendriya Viidyalayas (Central Schools).

The other demands of the All India Parents Association include the initiation of criminal proceedings against the 25 erring private school in the Capital who are inducted by the CAG recently.

The AIPA has also written a letter to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh recently seeking an effective central law to check arbitrary fee hike in unaided private schools as well as for upgrading all government schools to the level of central schools.

CONTROL SCHOOL FEES & UPGRADE GOVT SCHOOLS TO KVS - AIPA WRITES TO PM

ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION
Agarwal Bhawan G.T. Road
Tis Hazari, Delhi-110054 (India)
Ph.- 09811101923, 09717278279
07.10.2011

To
Dr. Manmohan Singh,
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
7, Race Course Road,
New Delhi-110001

Sub: - NEED OF THE HOUR: a Central Law to check arbitrary fee hike in unaided private schools and Up-grading all Govt. schools to the minimum
level of Central Schools

My Dear Respected Prime Minister,

We have the honor to bring to your kind notice that the common people in this country is unable to obtain quality school education for their wards, because on the one hand, government schools by and large lack basic physical and academic infrastructure and suffer from mismanagement resulting in inferior quality of education; on the other hand, when they turn to unaided private schools offering better quality they are mercilessly exploited through the imposition of arbitrary, unjust and exorbitant fees etc. In other words, the common man is a victim of a situation created by the State.

It is submitted that the Apex Court has time and again affirmed that capitation fee, exorbitant fees, profiteering, commercialization of education and exploitation of parents/students by the unaided private schools are not permissible in law and that the Government, not only has the powers, but also the duty to regulate fees and other charges in these schools to prevent commercialization of education. However, in the absence of a legal framework at the national level, which can control and regulate the unaided private schools in the matter of fees and other charges, the affirmation of the Apex Court remains a pious wish.

Among the states, the only exception is the Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009 (In short, Tamil Nadu Act, 2009) but it is limited to the State of Tamil Nadu.

The parents and the students all over the country have been agitating against the Governments’ failure to curb commercialization of education in unaided private schools. The need of the hour is to have a central law to regulate fees and other charges in these unaided private schools all over the country, may be, on the lines of the Tamil Nadu Act, 2009.

It is submitted that after the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Order of 11.05.2010 dismissing Special Leave Petitions of several Unaided Private Schools of the State of Tamil Nadu challenging the Madras High Court Judgment of 09.04.2010 upholding the constitutional validity of the Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009 and The Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Rules, 2009, the Central Government should have brought a national law immediately on the lines of Tamil Nadu Act, 2009 to protect the hapless parents and students from such exploitation. However, the Central Government has not done any thing so far in this regard.

All India Parents Association (AIPA) has since long been demanding a Central Law to deal with the issue of commercialization in unaided private school.

Secondly, the standard of education in state government schools all over the country is, by and large, of inferior quality with the exceptions of Central Schools, such as the KVS, Navodaya Schools, Sainik Schools etc. The expenditure per child in ordinary government school is extremely low in comparison to what is spent in Central Schools. Lack of physical and academic infrastructure is a common feature in the ordinary government-run schools.

Poor administration and management ensures that no education worth the name takes place in these schools. It is interesting to note, that even the teachers in these schools, do not send their own children to these schools as they are convinced that these schools are inferior.

The prevailing discriminatory system of public education goes contrary to the constitutional philosophy of equality, social justice and right to good quality education. There is urgent need to undo this discriminatory system of public education system. The only solution is that all government-run schools all over the country should be upgraded to the minimum level of Central Schools.

In order of highlight our aforementioned demands, we are holding AAM ADMI DHARNA from 10 am to 1 pm at Rajghat on Sunday October 09, 2011. We therefore request you to kindly take immediate steps to do justice to the children of this country.

With regards,


Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
National President, AIPA
M-09811101923

AIPA INVITES YOU TO AAM ADMI DHARNA ON 09/10/11 AT RAJGHAT

All India Parents Association (AIPA)

The AIPA is organizing an ‘Aam Aadmi Dharna’ to highlight the
need for reform in School Education System

The Dharna will be held at RAJGHAT on October 09, 2011 from
10.00 AM to 1.00 PM, to demand:

1. Removal of disparities between various Government Schools and up-gradation of All
Government run schools all over the country to the minimum level of Kendriya
Vidyalayas (Central Schools).

2. Enactment of a Central Law to regulate the fees and other charges in unaided private
schools all over the country.

3. Resolution by the State Assemblies in support of the above issues.

4. Initiation of criminal proceedings against the erring private school managements
having been indicted by the CAG in its recent report in regard to 25 unaided private
schools of Delhi.

What AIPA strives to Achieve

The AIPA and Private schools both realize that power of private schools is derived from poor
conditions in the Government schools. Falling standards in government schools push people
towards private schools. In this kind of scenario on one hand where Private schools know that
parents have no other choice, therefore they can exploit them. On the other hand, AIPA
believes that salvation of children in all types of schools depends on improving government
schools, and bringing about greater equity in quality of all categories of schools.
The objective of All India Parents Association (AIPA) is loud and clear - to work for the
realization of the constitutional philosophy of equality, social justice and good quality
education

About AIPA

All India Parents Association (AIPA) was formed out of the conviction that all children
whether in Government schools or private schools, have a right to good education in
environments where their rights are protected. If that does not happen, then parents who have
entrusted their children to the system in good faith, can and should come together to support
one another in ensuring a caring and responsive educational system. Wherever children’s and
parents’ voices are heard, schools systems improve.

The Beginnings

In 1997, the unaided recognized private schools in Delhi on the pretext of Fifth Pay
Commission recommendations increased fees from 40% to 400% which shocked the middle
class whose wards were studying in these schools. For the first time in the history of India,
the middle class came together and raised their voice against the arbitrary fee hike by the
private schools. Consequently, an organization namely Delhi Abhivahak Mahasangh came
into existence which took forward the case of the parents against their exploitation at the
hands of the private schools. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed through Advocate
Ashok Agarwal (National President AIPA) in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court highlighting the
exorbitant, arbitrary and unjust fee hike by the private schools resulting in violation of the
Right to Education of the children. The Hon’ble High Court in its Judgment dated 30.10.1999
rejected the arguments of the private schools and laid down parameters for determining
justified fees.

During this case, it was strongly felt that one of the major cause of exploitation of the hapless
parents by the private schools is that the standard of education in the Government schools has
gone down tremendously and the exploitation at the hands of the private schools cannot be
checked unless the standards of education in Government schools is improved to a
satisfactory level.

The Achievements

Therefore in 1997 itself, another PIL highlighting the absence of basic amenities in the
Government and Municipal schools in Delhi was filed in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court. This
petition was not only entertained but the Orders passed therein were monitored for more than
10 years by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court. Thereafter many other PILs were filed in the
Hon’ble Delhi High Court that resulted in to Regulation of Nursery Admission process,
Admissions of EWS students in to the schools which have taken land on concessional rates
from Government, Admission of Disable/ differently abled Students, Appointment of special
teachers schools, Infrastructural facilities for Disable/ differently abled Students and Filling
of vacancies of Teachers in Government/MCD Schools.

In 2008, once again the private schools not only in Delhi but all over the country increased
fees arbitrarily on the pretext of Sixth Pay Commission. This time it had given rise to an
agitation by the parents not only in Delhi but all over the country. The Delhi Government
issued an order allowing unaided private schools to increase fee without first scrutinizing
their accounts. Again a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed through Advocate Ashok
Agarwal in 2009 in the Hon’ble Delhi High Court challenging the Delhi Governments
arbitrary order. The Hon’ble High Court in its order dated 12-08-2011 upheld the contentions
of the Parents and constituted a committee to audit the accounts of all the unaided private
schools to see the justification of any Fee Hike. As a result of this PIL the Comptroller
Auditor General (CAG) for the first time exercised its statutory duty and audited the accounts
of 25 unaided private schools in Delhi and in its report indicted 23 out of 25 schools for gross
financial malpractices. With this rise of parents’ voices at an all India Level, the All India
Parents Association came into being. Since then, the AIPA has undertaken several Dharnas,
Rallies, Meetings, Seminars, etc. to highlight the issues relating to the Right to Education of
all children.

How you can Help

The AIPA strongly feels that parents, students and teachers must unite together to achieve the
ultimate goal of free and compulsory school education of good quality for all children.
While holding the Aam Aadmi Dharna at RAJGHAT on 9th October, 2011 between 10.00
AM to 1.00 PM, The AIPA also invites people at large and parents particularly to hold
corresponding Dharnas in front of the State Assemblies on the same date and time to
demand resolution from the Assemblies in support of the aforementioned issues and to
send the same to the Central Government.

All India Parents Association (AIPA)
Agarwal Bhawan, G. T. Karnal Road, Tis Hazari, Delhi‐110 054
9811101923, 9810133325

AIPA link on FACEBOOK is given below. Please click Like to join AIPA.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001351771958#!/pages/All-India-Parents-Association-AIPA/149625658466502

SINGLE UNIFIED BODY FOR DELHI GOVT AND LOCAL BODIES SCHOOLS

All India Parents Association (AIPA) and Social Jurist welcome the statement of Delhi Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely as reported today in Danik Jagran that all the MCD run primary schools should come under Government of Delhi. There is urgent need to have a Unified Body to control and run all the Government and Local Bodies schools in Delhi for the betterment of education for the children. NCERT Committee headed by Advocate Ashok Agarwal has way back in March 2010 suggested for the said Unified Body in Delhi for the effective implementation of the RTE Act, 2009.

END CORRUPTION IN EDUCATION - AIPA PRESIDENT WRITES TO PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION (AIPA)

AGARWAL BHAWAN, G.T. ROAD,

TIS HAZARI, DELHI-110054

30.04.2011

To,

Hon’ble Dr. Manmohan Singh,

Prime Minister of India,

New Delhi.

Sub: Enact Central Law to Regulate Fees in Unaided Private Schools and Upgrade all Government Schools all over the country to the level of Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools)

Respected Sir,

The parents all over the country have been raising their voices for the past 15 years against inaction on the part of the Central and State Governments to check the menace of commercialization of education in unaided private schools. It is unfortunate that the governments have utterly failed to check arbitrary fee hike by the private schools despite directives by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Modern School case. Though the parents are now better aware of their rights qua unaided private schools but the schools are adamant to continue to exploit the hapless parents and students by subjecting them to pay unjustified, exorbitant and arbitrary fee and other charges. The State of Tamil Nadu has enacted Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009. It appears that the Tamil Nadu Act is addressing the parents’ concerns to a large extent. However, the application of the said Act is limited to the State of Tamil Nadu. In other States, there are practically no laws to deal with the school fee hike problems. AIPA demands a comprehensive Central Law Regulating Fees in Unaided Private Schools which should include a provision of minimum 50% representation of parents on the School Management Committee. Needless to say that Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 provides 75% representation of parents in the School Management Committee in the Government and Government Aided Schools.

Another aspect of the matter is that all children including the children with disabilities have a basic human and fundamental right to receive good quality education in the mainstream schools as guaranteed to them under Article 14 (right to equality), Article 21 (right to life with dignity), Article 21-A (right to education) and Article 38 (right to social justice) of the Constitution of India read with the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2008). It is estimated that about 10 crores children are still out of school and are engaged in one or the other form of labour though their rightful place is in school. Those children who are in the government school system are receiving very poor quality of education. Fee-charging private schools are flourishing at the cost of government schools. It is all happening due to the apathy of the governments towards the educational needs of the children of the masses of this country. It is unfortunate as well as unconstitutional that discriminatory system of schooling exists within the Pubic School Education System. How long the rulers of this country would continue to deny the basic right to education to our children? AIPA demands that all government schools all over the country must be upgraded to the level of Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools).

In the aforesaid backdrop, the All India Parents Association (AIPA) is staging today a peaceful protest against arbitrary fee hike in private schools and apathy of governments towards state run schools at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi to draw your kind attention to the plight of the hapless parents and the students. Similar coordinated protests by the parents are also taking place today in many States & Districts all over India demanding (i) Enactment of a Central Law to Regulate Fees in Unaided Private Schools and (ii) Upgrade all Government Schools all over the country to the level of Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools).

Sir, we have great hopes in you. We, therefore, request you to kindly intervene in the matter for the realization of the above demands.

On behalf of AIPA & all other participating organizations and individuals:

Ashok Agarwal, Advocate

National President, AIPA

M-09811101923

E-mail: juristashok@gmail.com

PARENTS ON WAR PATH AGAINST CORRUPTION IN EDUCATION

April 30, 2011 Over 500 Parents students protest against fee hike

PRESS RELEASE – AIPA PROTEST AT JANTAR MANTAR APRIL 30 FROM 10 AM TO 1 PM AGAINST CORRUPTION IN EDUCATION

ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION (AIPA)

AGARWAL BHAWAN, G.T. ROAD,

TIS HAZARI, DELHI-110054

29.04.2011

The parents all over the country have been raising their voices against inaction on the part of the Central and State Governments to check the menace of commercialization of education in unaided private schools. It is unfortunate that the governments have utterly failed to check arbitrary fee hike by the private schools despite directives by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Modern School case. Though the parents are now better aware of their rights qua unaided private schools but the schools are adamant to continue to exploit the hapless parents and students by subjecting them to pay unjustified, exorbitant and arbitrary fee and other charges. The State of Tamil Nadu has enacted Tamil Nadu Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009. It appears that the Tamil Nadu Act is addressing the parents’ concerns to a large extent. However, the application of the said Act is limited to the State of Tamil Nadu. In other States, there are practically no laws to deal with the school fee hike problems. AIPA demands a comprehensive Central Law Regulating Fees in Unaided Private Schools which should include a provision of minimum 50% representation of parents on the School Management Committee. Needless to say that Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 provides 75% representation of parents in the School Management Committee in the Government and Government Aided Schools.

Another aspect of the matter is that all children including the children with disabilities have a basic human and fundamental right to receive good quality education in the mainstream schools as guaranteed to them under Article 14 (right to equality), Article 21 (right to life with dignity), Article 21-A (right to education) and Article 38 (right to social justice) of the Constitution of India read with the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2008). It is estimated that about 10 crores children are out of school and are engaged in labour though their rightful place is in school. Those children who are in the government school system are receiving very poor quality of education. Fee-charging private schools are flourishing at the cost of government schools. It is all happening due to the apathy of the governments towards the educational needs of the children of the masses of this country. It is unfortunate as well as unconstitutional that discriminatory system of schooling exists within the Pubic School System. AIPA demands that all government schools all over the country must be upgraded to the level of Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools).

In the aforesaid backdrop, the All India Parents Association (AIPA) will stage a peaceful protest against arbitrary fee hike in private schools and apathy of governments towards state run schools on 30 April 2011 from 10 am to 1 pm at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Similar coordinated protests by the parents will also take place in many states & districts all over India on the same day and time demanding (i) Enactment of a Central Law to Regulate Fees in Unaided Private Schools and (ii) Upgrade all Government Schools all over the country to the level of Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools).

The contact persons in different States/Districts who have so far sent their confirmation regarding organizing coordinated protests are: (i) Advocate R.K.Yadav (Gurgaon-Haryana) M-09811946177, (ii) Mr. Amit Mehra (Aligarh-U.P.) M-09412276759, (iii) Mr. Vikas Shukla (Lucknow-U.P.) M-9019687653, (iv) Mr. Ranjit Jadhgavrao (Pune-Maharashtra) M-07798646976, (v) Mr. Tapas Swain (Cuttak-Orissa) M-09040112599, (vi) Mr. Sanjeev Verma (Kanpur-U.P.) M-09415127096, (vii) Mr. Nur Mohd. (Alwar-Rajasthan) M- 09413304746, (viii) Mr. Vijay Goel (Jaipur-Rajasthan), (ix) Mr. Rakesh Jain (Ludhiana-Punjab) M-09814103151, (x) Ms. Avisha (Mumbai-Maharashtra) M-09821524455, (xi) Mr. Satish Chandra Dwivedi (Freedom Park, Banglore, Karnataka) M-09448282303.

On behalf of AIPA & all other participating organizations and individuals:

Ashok Agarwal, Advocate

National President, AIPA

M-09811101923