New Delhi : The charging of exorbitant fees by private schools has become a major contentious issue for thousands of parents across the national Capital during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Hundreds of parents, who have been financially hit due to Covid-19, have discontinued their children’s studies from private schools after private schools took trict action against those who could not deposit their fees.
All India Parents Association National President, Ashok Agarwal, told IANS that all such parents should consider shifting their children from unaided private schools to Delhi government schools so that they do not have to pay high fees.
At such a time the government should not deny admission to any such student based on any particular ground. Quality education should also be ensured through proper recruitment of teachers.
Poonam Kochitty, Principal of Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, says that her school is following requisite government instructions. However, those parents who are struggling with financial problems are being given a fee discount. Parents can now pay the fees in monthly mode. On special request, parents facing financial problems can also make late payment of fees.
On the subject of paying school fees during the Covid-19 pandemic, Heritage Xperiential Learning School says, “Although most of the parents of children studying in our school have paid the fees, Covid-19 has posed financial challenges for many parents. We offer a discount in fees to parents facing financial challenges.”
At the same time, the Delhi government has decided that such students studying in private schools across Delhi, who now want to leave private schools and enroll in government schools will no longer need to take transfer certificates. These students will be granted admission to Delhi government schools without submitting the transfer certificate. The Education Department officials will take the transfer certificates of these students from private schools at their level.
Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who is also the education minister, said due to Covid-19 several people have lost their jobs. In such a situation many parents cannot afford to pay the exorbitant fees charged by private schools and are getting their children enrolled in government schools. However, many private schools are demanding arrears according to the hiked fees for the last one year.
In case of non-payment of this amount, transfer certificate is not being issued by private schools to children. Therefore, the Delhi government has provided this relief to the students in case of a TC, he said.
The daughter of Kiran Pathak, a parent from Delhi, studies in class 7. According to her, the new decrees of the school that have come out in the past few days have increased the troubles of the parents. Many private schools are now not only charging hiked fees but also demanding fees hiked in the last one year.
According to Kiran, if the situation persists she will have no option but to send her daughter to a government school by shifting her from private school.
Manish Sisodia said the Delhi government is firmly defending the students and parents in the court over fee hike by private schools. The AAP government appeals to the parents that if they want they can enroll their children in Delhi government schools. (IANS)