Gujarat education department issued a Government Resolution (GR) on October 7, 2020, notifying the move taken a week back, where it announced a 25 percent relief in fee in private schools for the current academic session across all boards along with no fee under co-curricular activities.

However, the private schools are not content with the GR citing ambiguity over the deadline to pay 50 percent fee in order to avail this 25 percent relief in tuition fee. On September 30, after the state cabinet meeting took the decision, Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama had said that the parents had to pay 50 percent of the fee till October 31 to avail of the 25 percent relief.

The GR, however, states that it is “desirable” for parents to pay the pending fee for the second semester for the academic session 2019-20 and 50 percent fee of the current academic session by October 31.

Parents as per their convenience can deposit the fee either monthly or lump sum for the academic session 2020-21. If there is a delay in depositing the fee, no school can impose any penalty. For parents who have deposited the entire tuition fee in advance, the school will refund and adjust the extra amount in the next fee to be collected, the GR adds.

The private schools had been stressing that the relief in fee should be offered to only those paying 50 percent fee by October 31. President of Association of Progressive Schools, Manan Choksi, said, “We will discuss with the members and decide the next step.”

The state government has further asked schools to give relief to parents who are not capable of paying the fee. The GR states, “The parents who are not able to pay the fee can meet the school management, which can take a decision with a human approach.”

Also, self-financed schools have been directed to not charge any additional fee for co-curricular activities and no private school affiliated to any board can increase any fee for the academic session 2020-21. The decision applies to all private schools irrespective of the board.

Source: The Indian Express

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