With complaints and requests from parents from across the country over the arbitrary hike of school fees, HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Friday appealed to private schools to not to hike fees or demand quarterly payments as the world was going through the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
The HRD Minister said he had been receiving complaints from various parts of the country that schools were not only hiking fees but also asking parents of students to submit the amount for three months in one go.
Pokhriyal requested all states to come up with a solution that protects the interests of both parents and schools in terms of quarterly tution fees and salary of the staff.
Pokhriyal’s statement comes amid various complaints raised by parents of children in private schools alleging that schools were asking for the quarter and annual and new admission fees even as lockdown persists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost all the private and public schools charge new admission fees and certain additional charges in the beginning of the new session in April.
In a statement shared through his official twitter handle, Pokhriyal said: “It has been brought to my notice by many parents from across the country that even in times of crisis, many schools are increasing their annual fees and taking the current fees of three months together.”
“I hope that the education departments of the states will be working in a satisfactory manner towards better protection of the interests of parents and schools,” he said
Pokhriyal also requested private schools to not raise their annual fees or collect fees in bulk during the lockdown
“At the time of this global disaster, I request all the schools to consider not increasing the annual school fees and not taking the fee for three months together,” he added.
Due to the lockdown, many parents saw their income sources dry up which made it difficult for them to pay the full amount upfront. Pokhriyal also requested the schools to “provide timely salary to teachers and staff.”
He appreciated states that have taken “positive steps” towards solving the issue and hoped that all states will consider his request.
On the same day, the Delhi Government had directed private schools to only collect tuition fees from parents and to refrain from raising their annual fees without taking permission from the Government.