News Link: Private Schools in Rajasthan Suspend Online Classes
Private schools across Rajasthan have suspended online classes for the oast five days. School unions claiming that over 50,000 institutions have gone on strike. Their demands include no cuts in tuition fees, payment of reimbursement for admissions under the Right to Education (RTE), and withdrawal of instructions issued on fee collection when schools reopen.
Over 50,000 private schools across Rajasthan are on strike since November 5 and we have suspended online classes. After the Covid outbreak, the state government had deferred the payment of fees for private schools. The 11 lakh teaching and non-teaching personnel at these schools are in dire financial condition. The schools couldn’t pay them during the pandemic.
On October 23, the Rajasthan High Court had ruled that considering the hardship of private schools, the state government shall issue necessary directions by October 28 regarding interim fees they shall be allowed to charge subject to a final decision.
On October 28, the government said that as long as schools are closed, students will be charged capacity building fees. That fee would be 60 per cent of tuition fees.
But the government also said that after reopening, CBSE schools could charge only 70 per cent of the total fees that was charged in the last session. Rajasthan Board schools 60 per cent, due to the reduction in syllabus.
Meanwhile, parents associations have demanded the intervention of the government to ensure that the schools don’t charge excess fees.
“Many schools are charging excess money in the name of online classes.
At present, there is no system in place to monitor the quality of online classes. We urge the government to ensure a detailed mechanism about online classes. Moreover, the schools need less infrastructure for online classes and them charging excess money doesn’t make sense. The 60 per cent fee fixed by the government for capacity building classes is not acceptable to us.
Due to decreased income in wake of the pandemic, we won’t be able to pay excess fees. Also, we have to arrange for laptops and other gadgets enabling students take online classes. That is an extra cost. – said Arvind Agarwal, president, Sanyukt Abhibhavak Sangh, a parents’ association.
Compiled by- MK (Editor)
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News Link: Private Schools in Rajasthan Suspend Online Classes
