Schools not able to meet cost can reach govt: Punjab to HC
STATE TOLD COURT THAT OTHER CHARGES FOR THE LOCKDOWN PERIOD HAVE BEEN WAIVED OFF AS PER MAY 14 ORDER AND REMAIN THAT WAY
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government has told Punjab and Haryana high court that private schools should not be allowed to charge anything beyond tuition fee for the lockdown period owing to Covid-19 outbreak.
“If any schools on account of charging tuition fee, as directed by government on May 14, are unable to meet its expenses, they are at liberty to approach district education officer with the plea. It would be looked into as to whether the school can recover other charges from parents,” the state has told the court.
The response came as court had asked the state to clarify whether schools can recover other charges for the lockdown period from parents after it is over.
The state has told court that other charges for the duration of the lockdown have been waived off as per May 14 order and would continue to be waived off till the time situation normalises. However, schools would be permitted to these charges at a pro rate basis once the schools open for remaining months. The court was told that as per May 14 order schools were to re-schedule the payment of new admission fee and collection of tuition fee only was permitted during lockdown. So charges such as building charges transportation and meals etc is not to be charged, the court was told.
The response has come in a plea filed by schools and parents from Punjab over collection of fee amid Covid-19 outbreak. On May 22, the HC, acting on schools’ plea, had allowed them to charge 70% fee from students for the academic year 2020-2021. The court had also allowed schools to charge admission fee in two half-yearly instalments.
The high court on Friday after hearing all the parties has reserved the petitions for final judgment.
CONG FOR JUDICIAL PROBE, GOVT JOB TO KIN
Terming it administration’s failure, the J&K Congress on Friday staged a protest demanding judicial probe into the deaths of the two Kashmiri Pandit men, besides government jobs for the deceased’s kin.