Staff Reporter :
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday stayed a High Court verdict declaring collection of money in the name of ‘session fee’ by English medium schools as illegal.
But the apex court upheld a directive of the High Court verdict that asked the English medium schools to acquaint their students with the country’s culture and heritage, history and the contributions of founding President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the freedom fighters and to celebrate national days.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after holding hearing on a petition filed by the Principal of the Green Dale International School against the High Court verdict.
Advocate Md Asaduzzaman and Advocate Anisul Hasan took part in the hearing on behalf of the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas represented the state.
Advocate Anisul Hasan said, “The High Court on May 17 in 2017 issued 17-point directives over English medium schools. Principal of the Green Dale International School appealed against the verdict on November 2 in that year. The apex court held hearing on that petition on Sunday. The apex court granted the leave petition and stayed the High Court verdict except one directive.”
The High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Badruzzaman gave the verdict after hearing two writ petitions of two guardians filed in 2013 and 2014 challenging the legality of charging session fees from the students.
In the directives the court ordered all the English medium schools to form the managing committees.
It also asked the English medium schools to attach special importance to teaching Bangla language up to Class VIII so that their students could fluently speak, read and write Bangla.
The court in a directive asked for running the English medium schools in a transparent manner.
All the English medium schools were directed to form their managing committees as the Private (English medium) School and College Ordinance 1962 and private English medium school registration rule 2007 require.
The managing committees should compose of parents’ representatives, teachers and the school authorities, said the directive. The verdict said that the opinions of the parents’ representatives should get importance, the verdict said.
The verdict said that the managing committee should appoint teachers and staff after advertising vacancies in newspapers. The court issued restrictions on the school owners interfering with appointment of teachers and staff.
The verdict said that the managing committees should fix the admission and tuition fees and debarred the school authorities from charging any other fees from the students. If any other fees are imposed, the reasons should be explained on the school website, said the verdict.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Sunday stayed a High Court verdict declaring collection of money in the name of ‘session fee’ by English medium schools as illegal.
But the apex court upheld a directive of the High Court verdict that asked the English medium schools to acquaint their students with the country’s culture and heritage, history and the contributions of founding President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the freedom fighters and to celebrate national days.
A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order after holding hearing on a petition filed by the Principal of the Green Dale International School against the High Court verdict.
Advocate Md Asaduzzaman and Advocate Anisul Hasan took part in the hearing on behalf of the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Samarendra Nath Biswas represented the state.
Advocate Anisul Hasan said, “The High Court on May 17 in 2017 issued 17-point directives over English medium schools. Principal of the Green Dale International School appealed against the verdict on November 2 in that year. The apex court held hearing on that petition on Sunday. The apex court granted the leave petition and stayed the High Court verdict except one directive.”
The High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Badruzzaman gave the verdict after hearing two writ petitions of two guardians filed in 2013 and 2014 challenging the legality of charging session fees from the students.
In the directives the court ordered all the English medium schools to form the managing committees.
It also asked the English medium schools to attach special importance to teaching Bangla language up to Class VIII so that their students could fluently speak, read and write Bangla.
The court in a directive asked for running the English medium schools in a transparent manner.
All the English medium schools were directed to form their managing committees as the Private (English medium) School and College Ordinance 1962 and private English medium school registration rule 2007 require.
The managing committees should compose of parents’ representatives, teachers and the school authorities, said the directive. The verdict said that the opinions of the parents’ representatives should get importance, the verdict said.
The verdict said that the managing committee should appoint teachers and staff after advertising vacancies in newspapers. The court issued restrictions on the school owners interfering with appointment of teachers and staff.
The verdict said that the managing committees should fix the admission and tuition fees and debarred the school authorities from charging any other fees from the students. If any other fees are imposed, the reasons should be explained on the school website, said the verdict.
