In a statement issued here on Monday, Desai, while decrying -- what he termed -- ``a mindless education policy'', suggested that the State government fix uniform fee structure for private schools and ensure that their salaries are paid.

Pointing out that there were 350 recognised private primary schools in the State and the number of unrecognised ones were even higher, he alleged that these schools, unable to impart meaningful education, only exploited the teachers and parents.

Even though the government had failed to fulfill Constitutional obligation of imparting free and compulsory education to children under 14 years of age, the recognised primary schools were in a way helping the government to fulfill their objective, he said. Therefore the government, he suggested, should give grants to these private schools.

Because of ad hocism, the government was unable to protect the interest of the underpaid teachers, he said, adding that since such schools could not get donation for their recurring expenditure, the authorities hiked the fees every year which was not a health sign.