Ordeals of Educational Institutions

By Syed Ahmad Rufai
arufai143@gmail.com

Ordeals Of Educational Institutions (Illustration/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

Ahmer Salam rushes his car through the main gate of his home at 8:00 AM and travels 30 kms to Pulwama to attend to his unaided private school.

In a three storied building, seated on a black revolving chair in the Chairman’s chamber, Ahmer tallies the currency with two of the registers on his table; the expenses are more than the income now. Taking a deep sigh he mumbles “how am I going to make this school survive?”

Ahmer checks his income and tallies it with the school accounts (Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

Ahmer believes schools either funded by trusts or aided somehow remain a step ahead of the unaided private schools.

Earlier, in March 2022, National President Private Schools Association & Child Welfare Association (PSACWA), Syed Shamael revealed the numbers that at least 200 schools have been closed in J&K due to financial crises, in a press conference in Srinagar.

Mushtaq Canny, another private school owner is of the opinion that COVID-19 has deteriorated the conditions of private schools, but the problems have been there from long time.

Ahmer is one among the 5585 school owners, who run different unaided private schools but share the same experience.

According to a UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education) 2019-20 report, as compared to 23165 government schools there are 5585 private schools in J&K. The government schools cater to 10,761 more students than private schools.

FEES FIASCO

Canny considers private institutions as a part and parcel of education sector, but feels left out when government announces all its decisions in open domain, without consulting private school owners.

“We have no say in these unilateral decisions of government,” Ahmer said. “Blaming parents is no way out, when government backstabs us.” 

The J&K committee for fixation of fee structure of private schools looks after the regulation of the fees, which replaced the managing bodies of school that used to take calls on fee structure. The unaided private schools are bound to face actions from the fee fixation committee if the fee is increased.

A student sits on a wooden bench in a school owned by Ahmer (Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

In 2019, the fee fixation committee allowed to hike the fees by 6%. “Since 2019, it is the only time we have increased the fees,” Ahmer added. 

The fee fixation committee J&K, have never visited Ahmer’s school, “I believe nor have they visited any other school too”. The process of fee fixation still remains a mystery for Ahmer and several other schools.

Ahmer argues that the expenses to provide facilities and good education have never been taken into consideration.

As per data, 300 students were enrolled with Ahmer’s school until 1 August 2019, but now the number has declined to 200.

The last time when Ahmer’s school had augmented the tuition fees was in 2015. To stay a step ahead from other schools in Rajpora area of Pulwama, Ahmer has given precedence to quality education “For the same old fee structure, parents demand better facilities,” Ahmer said. 

In an earlier order issued by the Directorate of School education, the government imposed a ban on capitation fee. But, Ahmer is of the opinion that the maximum capitation charged is 3000 rupees which is spent on the children only.

BUSINESS MODEL?

Ahmer recalls lashing out at a person claiming his school to be a money minting machine.

According to Canny the common notion among people is that school owners sit around, collect loads of fees, pay minimal salaries and plant remaining fees in their pockets. But for him running a school has remained social service, “it is no business, there are no returns on investments.”

Saleema takes a class of KG students (Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai) 

Ahmer has invested a fortune making money in running his school. Ahmer and Canny, both believe that other than providing a social service, schools need to make money in order to survive. “It can be the worst form of business,” Canny sighed.

Discussing the dreading fate of private schools in the Private schools association Kashmir office, Canny feels “It is a handful of schools that collect high fees and are stable, but majorly private schools are dwindling and on the verge of closing down.”

While disclosing statistics, Canny said that for opening up a school at least 45 documents are to be produced in front of the authorities. “Academicians and educationists should be the one running schools, but unfortunately they consider it is a mind-numbing job,” said Canny.

“The government orders that schools shouldn’t be run as business ventures but without earning we can’t survive” Canny added.

Canny reveals that a private school spends an amount of 7-8 thousand rupees on a student per month and for the same, government spends 15 thousand.

A students runs back to his classroom after lunch time (Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

On the contrary, Ahmer’s school is kept under check by labor officers for paying reasonable salaries to employees. “Then let schools collect the fees according to the salaries paid,” Canny said. 

“Either we need to fire employees or under pay,” Ahmer sighs, adding that it can’t be a practical solution as it undermines the idea of quality education. “Private schools don’t run on funds, the only income for schools is tuition fees.”

SURVIVAL CRISIS

It was 2009 when Ahmer thought of opening a school, to serve the society. A year later, in November 2010, he invested an amount of 5-6 lakh rupees to renovate a building in Pulwama.

“We have provided employment to at least 50 until in both teaching and non teaching staff.” As for Ahmer’s school, “it flourished”.

Ahmer’s school proved to be a good asset for his students and him until 2016. “We had ducked all hardships but this was a crisis never experienced before,” Ahmer recalled.

All schools were closed down for a period of 6 months, just after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Burhan Wani.

The subsequent lockdowns left the school unattended, destroying the school resources(Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

The school managed to survive for the next 6 months. EMIs and salaries were paid, with less than half of the tuition fees collected.  “The government had informed us to give discount in tuition fee, we had to,” Ahmer said. The school gave a discount of 80% in fees for 6 months.

“We had been facing miseries, even before 2016.” But, the years to come had never even crossed Ahmer and other private school owner’s minds. “Our and several others downfall started in 2016, and now we are striving to survive,” Ahmer added.

In 2019, the diesel stood around 75 rupees, which now has increased to 90 rupees; a surge of 20%. Whereas, a committee for fixation and regulation of fees in J&K allowed private schools to hike transportation fees by 12%. “We (private school owners) are portrayed as looters, everywhere.”

Ahmer had bought the cars on loan from the bank (Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

For a 30 seat capacity bus, that cost Ahmer around 15 lakh in 2015. The EMI, insurance, route permit, fitness fees, tokens, GPS , diesel, driver and conductors salary and the non-ending list costs Ahmer around 50-60 thousand, while as he earns only 30 thousand from bus fees. “All the extra head money is to be generated somehow.”

DEVASTATING ROLE

In 2019, just after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, educational institutions were closed down. But for Ahmer, the expenses on his school sustained in the form of salaries and maintenance. “The teachers and driver on rolls had to be paid.”

For three consecutive years 2011, 2012 and 2013, Ahmer approached the bank for school buses financing (loan). 

For the three buses of the school, the only expense that the school didn’t pay for was diesel; everything else was to be paid off. “The authorities even charged us with a fine.” Ahmer who used to pay around 400 for a route permit was charged almost 10 times, rupees 4500 for three years. 

The COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions had put every sector under lock and key, including educational institutions. “We had started community classes in the corona curfew, but still parents refused to pay school fees,” Ahmer said.

During the closure of schools due to the pandemic, SMC issued an order for schools to clear sanitation charges for the year 2021-22. “Schools used to pay 1800 rupees per annum, which now has increased ten folds, 24 thousand per annum,” Canny smirked.

For three years after article abrogation, the bus fees collected was zero, but the expenditures on it sustained. The only thing saved was the money on diesel. Other than that, the EMI which Ahmer wasn’t able to pay on time had developed an extra interest.

Ahmer availed a loan from J&K bank for his three school buses. Ahmer keeps his personal banks account balance near zero. “Our personal accounts are traced by the banks, if any money found, they (bank) deduct it to pay for their loans.”  

OBSTACLES

In 2014, Canny’s schools registration expired, it was not the first time he had experienced producing documents, but the last.

Private schools in Kashmir have to renew their affiliation with the government after a period of every five years.

While applying for the renewal of his school’s registration with the Board of school education for the first time in 2015, Ahmer exhausted hundreds of petrol liters in and around the departments for the NOC’s. “It takes months or even a year to arrange all the documents.” But, now he is accustomed to this routine.

Lunch break (Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

R&B, pollution control board, RTO office, fire and emergency service and numerous other departments require NOC’s from Ahmer to re-register his school with the board of school education.

But Ahmer questions government about its schools run in rented conked out buildings. “Facilities we provide are nowhere in government schools, I have seen 3 classes been taken simultaneously in one room.”

“It becomes a source of corruption for these departments,” Canny said.

Ahmer added that the fixed amount of tuition and bus fees doesn’t suffice the expenses of the school. On top of that the pressing demands of teachers to increase salaries have cornered Ahmer.

Javed, a teacher working for Ahmer’s school is privy to the deteriorating conditions of his school. “I would, but not all will understand sir’s (Ahmer) situation, our school is in debt these days.” But Javed understands the need for increase in his salary as inflation is on peak.

Ahmer is bound to pay good amount of salaries to his employees according to the minimum wages act.

Canny stands against the regulations of government on private schools. But, for him the struggle as a school owner ended back in 2014, when due to same tribulations he had to close down.

Shutting down the school which he headed for 18 years with 500 students remained the only option for Canny. But, for Ahmer it isn’t. Lakhs of rupees as debt and fees yet to be collected, he finds closing down is not a rescue option. “Some students haven’t paid tuition fees from past 2 years,” Ahmer added.

A 6th class student walks towards the science lab (Image/Syed Ahmad Rufai)

But even after abruptly closing down the school, Canny adjusted all of its students and staff in other schools owned by his friends.

 

 

 

*Ahmer Salam (name changed for confidentiality reasons)