The Orissa High Court has asked the State Government to take initiative and mediate between the parents’ associations and private school representatives in resolving the ongoing row over school fee hike. This suggestion came on Tuesday by a Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq while adjudicating a batch of related PILs.
Adjourning the hearings to September 8, the court asked the State School and Mass Education Department Principal Secretary to convene a joint meeting of the representatives of parents, teachers and private schools and resolve the fee hike issue amicably. The Secretary has also been asked to appraise the court about the outcome of the meeting before the next date of hearing.
At least three PILs are now pending in the court pertaining to the common prayer of judicial intervention in what they call “arbitrary” decisions of the private schools to hike the fees despite the schools being closed since March and a few others now partially functioning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The petitioners also seek complete exemption of fees during this period.