GOVT TO DECIDE ON WAIVER OF SCHOOL FEE: HC

The Telangana High Court on Saturday ruled out any judicial order directing private school managements to waive tuition fee as it was the prerogative of the state government and a matter of policy decision.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, dismissed a PIL filed by Mohd Abdul Raheem Khan, who complained that some school managements were forcing parents to pay tuition fee and threatening that they would not allow children in online classes if fee was left outstanding.

Explaining the poor financial condition of parents due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the petitioner urged the court to frame guidelines on the collection of school fee and sought it to direct the government to issue the necessary circulars and notifications prohibiting schools from forcible collection of tuition fee. He added that even students who did not have the facilities to attend online classes were being forced to pay.

Khaja Nizamuddin, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that in the absence of circulars and supervisory control, private schools were conducting online sessions without permission from the government, implying that they were illegal.

Dismissing the plea, the bench said “Whether they should or should not waive the fee is a discretionary matter that is within the purview of school managements. Moreover, whether they should be compelled to waive the fee or not is a policy decision that needs to be taken by the government.”

THE PETITIONER added that even students who did not have the facilities to attend online classes were being forced to pay.