The Karnataka education department is likely to recommend a fee cut  between 25 to 30 percent for the current academic year to all private schools as well as state and central board schools. 

The department has also decided to submit a report to the state government after a meeting last week with representatives of parents’ associations and private school managements regarding concerns over the fee structure for the current academic year.

Some parents alleged that private school managements were collecting fees for recurring expenditure as well, which was not required this academic year as the schools were shut.

While, school managements were anxious that most of the parents had not paid school fees and hence were unable to pay salaries to their staff.

A senior official of the department said that after the meeting last week, they realised that many school managements were collecting fees for infrastructure, transport, and other fees that were unnecessary.

An official added, “We plan to list out subheads under which schools can collect fees and also want to list out fees that schools need not collect this year as physical classes for most grades have still not resumed.”

While a section of private schools affiliated to the state syllabus have decided to cut fees by 25 percent for this academic year, many schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) have decided to waive fees for a section of parents as many are undergoing financial crisis due to the pandemic.

Source: The Hindu

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