Assn tells pvt schools to refrain from collecting fee in hour of crisis

BQ— “This is not the time to do any kind of business or overload the already suffering population with new expenses. Our motive should be to help people and not the other way. Let us first save lives and then think of other things,” a joint statement of private school associations

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

JAMMU, March 29

After The Tribune highlighted the plight of parents who had been asked by private schools in Jammu province to submit the annual school fee, private school associations have directed all institutions to refrain from such actions in this time of crisis.

Pertinently, a report was carried in these columns on March 28, which mentioned that while a countrywide lockdown had been imposed to tackle the threat of coronavirus pandemic, the management of private schools in the Jammu Division were more concerned about collecting annual fee from the parents, asking them to deposit the amount as per the dates fixed by them.

Taking cognisance of this report, the Jammu and Kashmir Private Schools Coordination Committee (JKPSCC) and Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) have asked all schools to refrain from collecting any fee in the current grim situation.

“As of now, we are dealing with a grave situation that directly affects our wellbeing. In this situation, life takes precedence over any other matter,” GN Var and Rameshwar Manhas, heads of the organisations, said in a joint statement.

“This is not the time to do any kind of business or overload the already suffering population with new expenses. Our motive should be to help people and not the other way. Let us first save lives and then think of other things,” the statement added.

Both associations claimed that most of the private schools which had sent notices for fee submission were affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). “We have reports that some schools, particularly CBSE affiliated, have sent notices to students to pay fee. None of the schools, who are under the school education department and affiliated to JKBOSE, are involved in it. We have already asked the schools to refrain from collection fee of any kind in this time,” the statement said.

The organisations said any guidelines or orders issued by the government in this regard would get their full support. “Though we have issued these directions, the government of J&K should follow the government of Himachal Pradesh which has directed all schools under its jurisdiction to defer collecting any kind of fee till April 30. Some of the CBSE schools do not follow our rules but government has the power to take strict action against them,” the associations said.

Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Principal Secretary, School Education Department, has also asked private schools to desist from any fee hike. However, an official order in this regard is yet to be issued by the department.