In what may come as a sigh of relief for some parents who struggled to pay full fees amid the pandemic, the Karnataka government on Friday asked all school in the state to only charge 70% of the tuition fees for the academic year 2020-21. This will be applicable to all private schools including state syllabus, CBSE and ICSE.
Minister for Primary and secondary Education S Suresh Kumar told media persons that the 30% reduction was arrived at after detailed consultation with all stakeholder including parent associations and school managements.
The decision was taken by two weeks after parents held a protest in front of his residence over the issue. Another protest was registered by the Karnataka Private School Parent Organisation Coordinating Committee which swept streets in front of Kumar’s residence demanding for fees to be reduced.
“A similar decision was also taken by the Chennai High Court in August which helped us execute the best way in which both parents and schools could reach a consensus. This is a good step forward to create an amicable solution agreeable to all and most favorable to the students,” Kumar said.
He said court had already defined the components to be included as tuition fees, so that no other charges save that were paid by parents. “Developmental fees, festival fees, or uniform fees cannot be taken. Fees for excursions or use of swimming pool etc. cannot be charged. Private schools should look at parent sympathetically and parent should also realize that it is their teachers who are going without salaries, so this common minimum understanding should help in implementing this solution that we have derived at,” he added.
No donations are to be taken by private schools in the name of any form, the state government has said. However, students availing transport facilities may have to pay for it. For parents who have already paid full fees, adjustments will be made to the fees paid in the future.
Associated Management of Private School in Karnataka (KAMS) however, has called the move completely “unscientific”, saying it would impact the salaries of teachers directly.
“Firstly we have been asked to curtail the 15% increment in fees for the academic year, above that if a direct 30% reduction is sought it will further worsen our financial position. Moreover, we have not got any new admissions which has created a bigger deficit already. We may be forced now to take legal recourse so that we are heard” said D Shashi Kumar, General Secretary, KAMS.
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