Chennai: More than 2,000 private schools have not registered with the Committee for the Determination of the Tamil Nadu Private School Fee for revisions for the 2021-22 academic year, accusing the amount set by the committee far below the previous years.
However, committee officials said they could not correct the same costs as before the pandemic because many parents lost their livelihoods and expenses less for school after remaining closed for the past 18 months.
The committee headed by Justice R Ballasubramanian asked private schools to submit the details of expenditure including salary, security and sanitation bills for the proposed costs for 2021-22 before September 30.
While around 4,000 private schools are expected to submit a cost revision, only around 2,000 have implemented this year.
Previously, the High Court allowed school to collect 85% of fixed costs for 2019-20 for 2021-22.
“The majority boycotts the cost determination committee because they correct only 50% of the costs compared to the previous year.
The committee did not accept our expenses.
They consider expenses just like staff salaries, EB Bill, PF, professional tax.
We cannot run school at a low cost,” said Kr Nandakumar, Secretary General, Nursery Tamil Nadu, Primary, Matrikulation of the Association of Middle School and CBSE.
Some schools get 5,000 for LKGs lower than costs per child in government schools.
“It’s not even 25% of what we asked for,” he added.
The committee announced that it would consider only 12 counts including staff salaries, electricity bills, water tax and property while determining costs.
It also corrects costs for one year, not three years.
“There was no physical class last year.
So, it was clear that expenditure had dropped and the cost was being repaired based on a high court order.
However, private schools want to maintain a fixed cost before the pandemic.
With parents losing their livelihoods, the committee cannot repair the same costs For this year, “Committee official said.
Fixing costs based on this amount will be enough to run school and pay staff, they add.