Admission fees: Decision changed by Don Bosco authority
ভর্তি ফি: সিদ্ধান্ত বদলালেন ডন বস্কো কর্তৃপক্ষ

April 18: Amidst the nationwide lockdown due to the outbreak of coronavirus, a message sent by Silchar Don Bosco School to the parents to pay admission fees of their wards along with tuition fees for April and May by 25 April created much confusion leading to panic. Here is the message sent by Don Bosco School:

“Dear Parents, We have updated our school website donboscoschoolsilchar.org. Very soon we will be activating the teacher app and parent app for the OFFLINE classes.The teachers will forward to you through the app the video clippings on various topics and the related study materials. Meanwhile the link for the ONLINE renewal of admission is given in our school website.On the Homepage, kindly click ‘Online Renewal of Admission’ and go ahead step by step to complete the process.No processing fee is levied by the bank if you choose the UPI payment mode.Processing fee for other payment mode varies from bank to bank. Kindly complete the renewal of admission by 25th April 2020. We hope to begin the OFFLINE classes from 22nd April.”

In this connection, way2barak had a conversation with one Mr.Kunal of admission help desk of the school. He informed our correspondent that this was the message sent earlier by the school, but now they have made a change and informed the parents through their website that “renewal of admission can be done by the parents at their convenient time or once the lockdown is revoked.” Mr. Kunal further informed that this new information has also now been put up in their school website. Further, a new revised message intended for the parents was also forwarded by the school to way2barak, which is reproduced below:

“Dear Parents, Greetings from Don Bosco School, Silchar. We have updated our school website donboscoschoolsilchar.org. Very soon we will be activating the teacher app and parent app for the OFFLINE classes.The teachers will forward to you through the app the video clippings on various topics and the related study materials. Meanwhile the link for the ONLINE renewal of admission is given in our school website. Those parents who wish to make the online renewal can do so as the facilities are available. And the rest of the Parents can do so once the lock Down period is over. Those who have financial problems or lack of possibilities for online renewal of admission can do later on when the lockdown is revoked at their convenient time.

As per a report by The Sentinel, the Deputy Commissioners of all districts was served an advisory by the Chairman of Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) vide letter No ASCPCR (G) 35/2017/ Part-1/ 2020/17 of 30.3.2020 which stated that the Deputy Commissioners had to ensure that no school authority should force the guardians to deposit fees for education of their children and any school found practicing this should be stopped henceforth.

ASCPCR Chairperson Dr Sunita Changkakoti was quoted to have stated, “We have asked the schools not to practise such a harsh policy keeping in view the existing scenario where COVIDF-19 has taken a toll on everyone’s life. There are parents who were pressurized to pay the school fees for their wards, which is so unjust in the current context. At this point of time we are not telling about waiving of fees. But all we want from the schools is that they adopt a soft policy.”

Concerned persons have expressed satisfaction to this changed decision of the Don Bosco School authority in the light of the advisory of Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR). On condition of anonymity, some parents whose livelihood depends on small business said, “It’s almost a month our shops are shut. We even do not know whether lockdown will extend beyond 3 April! How can the school compel us to pay the hefty sum by 25 April? Moreover, the school has instructed to pay in advance, the tuition fees of May also. We are not telling that we will not pay the fees, but please give us a breathing space.” So now the parents need not pay the admission fees and tuition fees of their wards as of now. They can do the same once the lockdown is over. However, as regards waiving off fees for the month of April, the school has not taken any decision.