Hyderabad, July 23^rd: Parent Teacher Associations in the city will have the power to fix the quantum of tuition fee hike in private schools in the state. The government has entrusted the power of fixing the fee structure in schools on the PTAs. It will also make setting up of PTAs mandatory for all the private schools. The minister for secondary education, Mr. D. Manikya Vara Prasada Rao said that the parents of the merit students from each class will be nominated in the association. Along with them some teachers will also be placed on the board. Both will draft the proposals on the fee hike based on the income and expenditure of the school concerned.

Apart from PTAs, each school should also set up governing councils comprising members from PTAs and school managements. They should conduct meetings periodically and discuss issues pertaining to fee and facilities in the school. The fee structure should be finalized by the PTAs by December 31^st of every year and submit them to the district fee regulatory authority for approval. The same will be implemented from the next academic year. The district regulatory authority will have the district collector and district education officers as members.

If the school management has any objections on the fee structure fixed by the PTAs, they can approach the appellate authority that will be established at the state level. The government is expected to issue orders for this soon.