Viqarunnisa Noon School and College has charged Tk 23,100 as admission fees for the newly admitted school students, of which Tk 20,000 is shown as 'development fee'.

The school section at Baily Road has doubled the development fee this year, much to the resentment of the guardians.

Ideal School and College is also taking Tk 20,000 as development fee from the new students who formed the bottom of the merit list. Bonosri branch of the school is charging the same amount.

The renowned institution has given special privilege of admission by paying Tk 3,700 only for the students living in the Motijheel government quarters where it is located.

Such discriminatory arrangement has drawn serious objections from other guardians.

Two other noted schools, Udayan School and Willes Little Flower School, are taking Tk 9,350 and Tk 8,000 as admission fees this year.

Meanwhile, famed Holy Cross School is taking only Tk 4,500 for admission that includes development fee from the new students.

Several guardians bitterly criticised the school authorities charging high fees.

"I felt much relief when my daughter passed the admission test of Viqarunnisa school after competing with thousands of candidates. But I became worried to know that I have to pay Tk 20,000 for the school development work," said a guardian requesting anonymity.

"I am a simple service holder. Why have I to bear the expenses for the school development?" he posed the question.

The school authorities, however, justified the fee hike by referring to the rising cost of living and maintenance, and inadequate government assistance.

"We have to charge high admission fees from the new students only to develop our own fund with which we can meet big expenses for the institution's construction and regular renovation work," said Rowena Hossain, principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.

They are yet to construct the building for the institution's Basundhara branch and acquire land for the Dhanmondi branch, she mentioned.

"If the government formulates a policy regulating the fees of the non-government schools, it should also take the responsibility for the schools' overall development," the principal viewed.

Shahan Ara Begum, principal of Ideal School and College, said the institution has to pay the salaries of a significant number of teachers whose MPO (monthly pay order) has not been confirmed by the government.

The guardians who are unable to pay the fees of the non-government schools should send their children to the government schools, Acting Principal of Udayan School Khaleda Habib said.

However, she felt the necessity for a government policy to control the charges of the non-government schools.

An education ministry high official said they can take action after inquiry if guardians come with specific complaints of charging high admission fees by non-government schools.

He, however, said that the problem cannot be easily solved, even if a policy is adopted.