Thousands of people took part in a mass rally and dharna

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,  Ashok Aggarwal 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 (see attachment) 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.