Reports of private schools demanding fees from parents are increasingly coming from Panchkula. The government has already issued directive, asking private schools across the state to not ask parents for fees during the lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the directive, pressure is being put on parents to deposit school fees by private schools. Schools are sending messages on mobiles of parents asking them to submit fees online.
Parents have complained about this to the CBSE, Haryana Education Department, and the district administration, but no action has been taken so far. It raises question whether the instructions given by the central and the state government are being taken seriously by the schools.
Almost all the schools in the city have asked parents to deposit the fees online. Despite this, the administration and education department is not taking any action.
Parents of a child studying in a private school in Sector-15 said that they have received a message from the school that a new fee module is being implemented from April 2020 under which parents have been asked to pay monthly fees for the months of April, May, and June through the school app.
Parents complained that schools are going against the notifications issued by the Central Government, State Government, and the CBSE to not charge fees till the lockdown is in place.
Some schools are even offering a discount of 5 to 10 percent to parents during lockdown. According to the schools, no parent is being forced to pay the fees, instead they are being given the option of depositing fees with a discount.
Action will be taken against schools demanding fees
DEO Urmil Rohilla said that the 12/4 notification has been issued by the Education Department. Schools have been told that they cannot forcefully take fees from parents during lockdown period. Schools cannot deny online tuition to children whose fees have not been deposited during the lockdown period.
If schools violate the orders, action will be taken against them. Once the lockdown lifts, parents will have to pay the school fees for the months of April and May but before that it is wrong to ask for fees from the students.
Teachers are not getting full salary
Teachers teaching in private schools are also complaining about not getting full salary for the month of April. Teachers have complained to the district administration and labor department.
