Private schools in Assam not to force parents for deposit of fees during lockdown: Commission

April 10: The 21 days national lockdown has roped all indoors. Educational institutions are also shut since the last week of March. The number of coronavirus cases are also in the rise in India. In Assam alone, there are at present 29 positive cases including 1 death. Amidst this, there are reports that many private schools in Assam are coercing parents to deposit the fees of their wards. This made the intervention of Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR).

In a report published by The Assam Tribune,  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 pressurised 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.”

Demands for waiver of school fees have been raised in different states including New Delhi with many even seeking intervention of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry. West Bengal government has urged private schools in the state not to hike fees amid lockdown and also to consider the cases of those who are unable to pay the fees at such times. Chhattisgarh has also asked schools to stop fee recovery. Odisha government has asked the private schools to reduce or defer the school fees from April to June.