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Unreasonable charges

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-02 10:25

Some high schools in Chengdu, Sichuan province, which charged students from the city's neighboring quake-hit areas as much as 80,000 yuan ($15,120) as a so-called "school-selecting" fee, are simply profiting from the disaster, says an article in Qilu Evening News. The following is an excerpt:

As the May 12 quake crushed most schoolhouses in counties in northern Sichuan, students there hope that they can continue their studies in high schools in the neighboring provincial capital Chengdu. But surprisingly, these nowhere-to-go students have been "welcomed" by an "urgently-raised fee".

As far as the bottom line of morality is concerned, Chengdu high schools should at most charge these youngsters between 2,000 yuan ($280) and 5,000 yuan ($720) per year for high school education. And here it may be unnecessary to discuss the possibility of fee exemption as a quake-relief support since it has been ruled out by the high schools.

How could these schools do this in defiance of relevant government regulations? And when the amount of 80,000 yuan exceeds 4 to 12 times the figure regulated by the local government, such a fee is nothing but a tool to profit from misfortune.

In fact, many high schools elsewhere have reduced or even exempted fees for students from the quake-hit areas. It is the least thing that should have been done in Chengdu, which is the capital of the quake-affected province and has every reason to help the students.

On the surface, the high school executives are to blame. What has made them so cold-blooded? This is a problem that needs to be investigated.

That the case has only been criticized rather than investigated and punished by the local education authority is a sign that supervision needs to be strengthened and management tightened.

Chengdu municipal government leaders must understand the public is anticipating a timely solution to the problem.

It is apparent that higher education authorities in Chengdu needs to clarify why the high schools under their leadership dare to rip off students from earthquake-affected counties. Without their consent, how dare the school presidents to go ahead with such absurd decisions?