Members of the Aam Aadmi Party’s Bhagalpur unit are on a two-day fast near the district magistrate’s office against the way private schools are increasing fees at random.

In a memorandum to the district magistrate, AAP district convener Ajit Kumar Singh said private schools are taxing parents and guardians. “Hike in tuition fee, development charges, annual charges, medical charges, transport charges (optional), activities charges, library fee and other fees are a recurring episode and there is no logic to justify it every year,” Ajit said. 
In its eleven-point charter of demands, the party requested the district magistrate to instruct private schools to cancel the recent hike in tuition fees. It also urged the administration to stop schools from compelling students to purchase uniforms and study material  from shops they recommend. It asked for provision of school buses and to stop charging readmission fee every year. It sought formation of parent or guardian committees to monitor educational and other activities. The school management should hike fees only with the consent of this panel and violation should cost affiliation, they demanded. 

Ajit said this was a token protest. If demands are not met, they would soon launch a massive movement.

Earlier, the AAP activists went on a procession to Mount Assisi and Navjug schools and handed over memoranda of their demands to the principals. People from different walks of life joined the activists. 

“Last year, I paid Rs 1,080 as monthly tuition fee for my son at St. Joseph’s school. This time the fee is Rs 1,240 a month. The school has also raised special fee, development fee, computer fee and lab fee,” alleged Shampa Mitra, a homemaker here. 

A staff at Mount Carmel School said on condition of anonymity: “The cost of potatoes, luxury vehicles, life-saving drugs has gone up. Why isn’t AAP opposing that?”