In view of the present circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Punjab HC has passed an interim direction stating that parents should pay 70 percent of the total school fee and admission fee in in six months. Parents can pay admission fee in two equal installments during the pendency period of the writ petition. The teachers will also be paid 70 percent salary during the pendency period of petition filed by the Independent Schools’ Association Chandigarh.
The petition filed on May 14 contested the direction by the Punjab School Education Board. The Education Board had directed schools to only charge tuition fee and not building charges, transportation charges, and
charges for meals etc. It had also directed the schools to pay full salary to the teachers. The Association, however, contested as they believe both the statements are contradictory and have been issued only in the interests of parents. The petitioner submitted that all the private unaided schools deposit funds under the head ‘Reserved Fund’ with the Punjab School Education Board which amounts to Rs 77 crore at present and the state government has not come forward to help with the running of schools with minimum staff or sanitisation taken up by the private schools. They had further contested not to stall admission fee as it is paid only once by the parents when the child gets admitted to the school.
The Court will instruct the Board on how to help the schools with the ‘Reserved Fund’ for sanitisation of the premises on the next date of hearing.
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