SHILLONG: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said that the Education Department would discuss the demand for waiving off school fees for students from poor families during the lockdown.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “The Education department will look into it. The department has to discuss the matter with School Managing Committees (SMCs)”.
Meanwhile, Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has written to the Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui for waiving off school, college and university fees during the lockdown period.
In a letter to the minister, the HYC stated that there were no employment opportunities due to the lockdown and poor families were unable to pay their children’s education (tuition) fees.
They stated that although the state government has directed schools to close down till April 30, yet there were no circulars or directions given to schools or colleges for waiving off the fees.
The organization has suggested that the state government should waive the school/college fees during the lockdown period and to relax and extend the deadline for payment of fees for the upcoming months after the relaxation of lockdown period.
The organization also suggested that the government should direct that no education institution should be allowed to hike fees or demand any additional fees from the students on the pretext of providing online classes/activities during the lockdown period.
As for salaries, the organization has stated that the educational institutions should make sure that payments of salaries to all teaching and non-teaching staff are made in time during the lockdown period.