Nagpur: The RTE Action Committee Chairman Mohd Shahid Sharif charged many schools to recover full fees from students despite reduction in syllabus by the government. “Schools are closed since March and no school has ever been started physically as yet. But fees are being recovered in full,” Sharif claimed.
The Chairman of RTE Action Committee met the Deputy Director, Education, and submitted a memorandum informing that the State Government had reduced the syllabus by 25 percent. But the schools are not following the government directives. On the other hand, the schools are harassing the parents by demanding full fees from them for four semesters. Messages are being sent to parents that if the fees are not paid, the students will not be allowed to appear in exams. According to government directives, no exam is taken for kids of nursery to KG-II. Moreover, in accordance with RTE Act, no student from Class I to VI can be failed, Mohd Shahid Sharif stated.
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“Schools are encouraging private syllabus and thus looting the parents. Notably, the National Commission for Children’s Rights has opposed the privatisation of syllabus in schools. The Commission has also instructed that such syllabus increase mental stress of children hence no private syllabus should be implemented in schools. The State Government has cut the syllabus by 25 percent and hence the schools should also reduce the fees by 25 percent,” Mohd Sharif demanded.
Pay cuts, job loss and crashed businesses have wreaked havoc for parents sending their wards to private schools which traditionally have been increasing the fee by around 10 to 20% annually. This year, parents are seeking full or partial waiver. Many parents are alleging schools are stopping online classes over non-payment of fees.
Parents were under pressure to pay fees. Many parents said they are unable to pay the fee in lockdown as they had suffered losses, lost jobs and were facing pay cuts.
