CTU General Secretary Joseph said parents are being asked to pay repeatedly under various pretexts, placing a heavy financial burden on families. He warned that schools have become increasingly strict in enforcing these payments, contradicting the Ministry’s public position.
The union has urged the Education Minister to issue a formal circular prohibiting all fund collections, rather than relying on statements alone. Joseph criticized Circular 5/2015, which allows schools to collect annual maintenance fees, saying it is being exploited through class-based parent groups for additional activities such as repairs, painting, notice boards, and new educational equipment.
The CTU also questioned why some leading schools maintain large bank deposits while continuing to collect fees from parents, and highlighted concerns over accounts operated outside officially recognized School Development Society channels.
The union called for urgent action to stop unauthorized fee collections and relieve parents of ongoing financial stress.
