Bringing a sigh of relief amidst the parents in the state amidst this ongoing pandemic, the Rajasthan government has ordered the CBSE affiliated private schools to waive off their tuition fees by 30% for class 9 to 12. Along with it, the schools which are affiliated with the state board, have to slash their fees by 40%, for the same grades.
Along side this, the Progressive Association School of Rajasthan, which filed a plea against the High Court’s decision ordering 30% deduction in school tuition fee, was not in support of this conclusion. “This decision is not right, it is discriminatory. If it is implemented, we will go against it to the Supreme Court. How will the schools be able to pay salaries to teachers and staff if fees are slashed by 30 and 40 per cent?”
Campaign demanding ‘No School, No fee’
As the CBSE body reduced the school syllabus by 30% for classes 9 to 12, their school tuition fees should be reduced by 30%- said the order of The Education Department. At the same time, the Rajasthan Board has reduced the syllabus by 40%, so they should reduce the fee by 40%, the order, which was issued on Wednesday, further added. The concerned department has also submitted a report with SOP guidelines to the Chief Minister’s Office, requesting suggestions on reopening of schools from November 2. But it is to be noted that no such decision has been taken for the students from class 1 to 8 and they are not being called to schools as of now. The decision regarding their school fees will be reviewed after the schools are reopened.
Given that the schools were closed for almost eight months now, a committee was formed by the state government to decide on the fees issue as parents have been running a campaign demanding ‘No School, No fee’.
With inputs from IANS