Colleges keep charging excessive intake fees

Most of the reputed colleges in Dhaka are charging excessive admission fees from admission seekers of higher secondary courses flouting an education ministry directive in this regard, reports NewAge.
The college authorities said they needed to spend additional amount of money on providing better education but the education ministry has taken no action against such institution charging higher fees beyond the capacity of admission seekers.
The education ministry in April 2008 issued a directive asking all schools and colleges not to charge more than Tk 5,000 in admission and other fees from a student.
A ministry order issued on June 2, 2010 also warned that tough action would be taken if the colleges would breach the admission rules set by the ministry.
Despite repeated warnings, some colleges are allegedly charging something between Tk 11,000 and Tk 16,000, or more in some cases, in fees.
According to allegations leveled by admission seekers, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College is charging Tk 13,500, Motijheel Ideal School and College Tk 11,000, Dhaka City College Tk 13,000, Motijheel Model School and College Tk 10,000 and BIAM Model College Tk 16,000.
Shahanara Begum, the Ideal School and College principal, said the college offered quality education and it needed additional amount of money to spend on quality teachers.
‘We also need to spend a significant amount on students and on buying educational equipment,’ she said.
A member on Viqarunnisa’s management committee on Saturday said the college this year was taking a little bit higher than the figure they charged from admission seekers in 2009.
He said the committee had approved the amount on Saturday although it was much higher than the amount set by the ministry.
The education minister, Nurul Islam Nahid, on Sunday night said the directive of the education ministry should be strictly implemented. ‘If anyone violates the directive regarding admission fees, tough action will be taken.’
The education secretary, Syed Ataur Rahman, said he had not received any concrete allegations from any guardians or admission seekers.
Professor Noman Ur Rashid, director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, said he had also received some allegations of charging excessive fees by the institutions.
An education ministry official, however, said there were some officials engaged in lobbying for illegal admission to reputed colleges and that is why the violators go unpunished.
According to the admission rules 2010, set by the education ministry, the colleges will begin classes of higher secondary courses on July 1 and June 28 will be the last date of admission without late fees.

Courtesy of NewAge