Sep 21,Kathmandu: Government schools have been found to be charging exorbitant fees from students under various headings. It has been found that Shree Bijaya Secondary School in Dullunagar Municipality of Dailekh is charging fees from students under various pretexts.

It has been found that the school charges exorbitant fees from the students in the name of admission fee, monthly fee, practical fee, exam application fee, registration fee. Although the government of Nepal provides free education in government schools, it has been found that most of the schools here charge money from parents under various pretexts.

The parents say that despite teaching in English medium, studies are not good in Vijaya Mavi. Vijaya Secondary School has been found to be collecting monthly fees from Class 6 to 12 under various pretexts. Parents say that the school charges at least 500 per month.

Shusil Rizal, the parent of Ranukhana of Dullunagar Municipality-5, complained that the charges were being collected under different names. "I have given admission fee 1500, monthly fee 800 and examination fee 60 rupees without a receipt." Parent Shusil Rizal said, he had to spend the money earned by working in government schools to educate his son and grandson.

Receipt of monthly fee charged by Vijaya Madhyamik Vidyalaya Dullu Dailekh. Parents say that children from underprivileged, persecuted and poor families are unable to study in school as fees are charged. Keshav Bhandari, principal of Vijaya Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Dulluka, admitted that even though the fees for 5 to 7 headings should be collected from the students and submitted to the Nepal government, monthly fees were collected for the management of teachers and staff from private sources.

"Although the secondary level is free, the examination fee is spent to prepare the question paper. Principal Bhandari said, the monthly fee has been raised as a minimum to manage private level teachers and staff. The school charges a fee for teaching English medium from 6th to 10th grade, while the school charges 11th to 12th grade. It has been found that the class charges high monthly fees.