Community Schools Charge Fees Despite Free Education Rights
Community schools are depriving children of their right to free education up to the secondary level. Under the fundamental right to education in Article 31 of the Constitution, it states: “Every citizen shall have the right to compulsory and free education up to the basic level, and free education up to the secondary level from the State.”
Accordingly, the National Education Policy, 2076 has been formulated. Acts, rules, directives, and procedures have also been developed. The education policy clearly mentions the provision of free education for all children.
The Compulsory and Free Education Regulations, 2077 state: “No amount may be collected under any heading such as student admission fee, monthly tuition fee, examination fee, or textbooks.” However, citizens have not been able to receive these rights as written in the law. Parents of every child studying in government and community schools have been compelled to pay money under all of the headings mentioned above.
“People only call it a government school, but here the school is charging fees under every heading,” said Surendra Pulami, a parent of a student studying at Shiv Namuna Secondary School in Kawasoti, Nawalpur. “When we speak to the teachers, they say they have to collect it because there are not enough sanctioned posts. But Shiv Secondary School has a good source of income, and still we have to pay fees under every heading.”
All government schools here have been collecting fees in the name of parent support. Sushil Poudel, chairperson of the School Management Committee of Saraswati Namuna Secondary School in Hasaura, Kawasoti–4, said the school is taking a minimal fee with the parents’ consent.
“We have arranged internal teachers by taking the minimal amount that parents voluntarily provide. We held a parents’ meeting, and we took parent support exactly according to the decision made by them.”
However, Shyamraj Sinjali, a parent of a student at Saraswati Secondary School, says he still has not been informed about such a meeting held to collect money.
“When we talk to the teachers, they say it is voluntary support because it is difficult to pay teachers’ salaries. But the bill comes with a fixed amount for each grade. Is that also voluntary support?”
Kalpana Bhandari Kadel, principal of Saraswati Secondary School, said the school has 1,070 students and that the government has not provided sanctioned posts in proportion to the student number. She stated that due to this problem, the school has been forced to pay teachers through support from parents.
“In our school, including teachers and staff, we are 58 people. The government has not provided sanctioned posts in proportion to the student number. We have had to pay 27 people from internal sources. In this situation, we are running the school through parent support.”
Giriraj Giri, principal of Janakalyan Secondary School in Ritthapani, Nawalpur, said their school takes support from parents for student admission, teaching materials, tie, belt, ID card, diary, transportation, and examinations.
Municipal Education Officer Hemchandra Poudel considers this not only a problem of Nawalpur but a national problem.
“The Constitution, acts, and laws say education is free, which means schools cannot take fees from students. That is why fees are being collected in the name of parents,” Poudel said. “The government has not been able to provide sanctioned posts according to the student number. Since teachers must be hired through internal sources, the school cannot run if fees are not taken from parents.”
Due to inadequate investment and insufficient teacher positions in community schools, and the pressure to teach in English medium as demanded by the times, schools collect fees from parents in the name of donations or support.
Education expert Prof. Dr. Vidyanath Koirala said this problem has arisen because government management is not effective. According to him, the law says fees cannot be collected but support can be taken, and schools are collecting fees by calling it parent support.
“The problem is not only money; it is the inability to manage,” Koirala said. “If the government reduces funding for wealthy municipalities like Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara, and Biratnagar and prioritizes weaker and low-income municipalities by increasing teacher positions, this problem can be solved.”
In the current fiscal year, the Government of Nepal has allocated one kharab 97 arab 29 crore rupees to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. This is about 11 percent.
Based on Nepal’s international commitments, advocacy from education stakeholders, and international standards, 15 to 20 percent of the total national budget should be allocated to the education sector.
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