Nawanshahr: What kind of 'education revolution' is the Punjab government implementing at the School of Eminence, Nawanshahr? This question has been raised by the Jamhoori Adhikar Sabha (District Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar) to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains. In a press statement, Jasbir Deep, the District Secretary of the Jamhoori Adhikar Sabha, remarked that while the Punjab government is showing great strictness regarding fees in private schools, it is unwilling to scrutinize its own practices.
He stated that the extra fees being charged to students by the School of Eminence, Nawanshahr, raise serious questions about the government's claims of providing free, world-class education. He noted that the school principal, Sarabjit Singh, is charging students approximately ?5,000 instead of the government-mandated admission fee of ?876. The principal justifies this by claiming the funds are needed to address staff shortages and provide additional educational facilities.
He pointed out that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann consistently claims students at the School of Eminence receive books, uniforms, coaching for competitive exams, and other modern amenities at no extra cost. If parents are being charged amounts several times higher than the prescribed government fee, it exposes the reality of the government's education model.
He also questioned under which law or rule the School Management Committee has been granted the legal authority to increase fees beyond the rates set by the Education Department. He added that the principal is also justifying the extra charges by citing student participation in events such as the National Science Seminar, the International Mathematics Olympiad, and other academic activities. Jasbir Deep stated that while the Punjab government is aggressively publicizing its initiative to send teachers abroad for training at state expense, the practice of collecting extra money from students—ostensibly to address staff shortages and fund academic activities in government schools—completely undermines the government's claims. He demanded a high-level, impartial inquiry into the matter, strict action against the principal if found guilty, and the immediate refund of the additional amounts collected from the students. Furthermore, he called upon the Education Department to clarify whether School Management Committees possess any legal authority to charge fees exceeding the rates prescribed by the government.