Odisha government has asked the private schools to reduce or defer the school fees from April to June. The order comes a day after the state government extended the lockdown period to April 30, becoming the first state to do so. Schools and colleges have been ordered to remain shut till June 17.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has asked schools to be sympathetic while dealing with school fees. In his message to the private players, the CM said this will help the parents whose income have been adversely affected.
In view of the lockdown & associated economic stress for #COVID19, #Odisha Govt advises all private educational institutions to be sympathetic to consider reduction/deferment of school fees from April to June. This will help the parents whose income have been adversely affected.
— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) April 10, 2020
It said that students of Class 9 would be promoted to Class 10 for this academic session, following evaluation of the five papers for which exams had been conducted.
Arrangements have been made for the teachers to evaluate the answer scripts from home.
The School and Mass Education department has also formed a committee to take necessary measures for 2020-21 academic session, sources said, adding that steps were being taken to start online classes.
Administration authorities at various places have urged private schools not to pressurize parents for paying fees.
On April 4, Haryana government directed all private schools across the state to not pressurize the parents of the students to deposit any fees until the lockdown period is over.
Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Suhas L Y on April 6 ordered that no educational institution across Noida and Greater Noida can force parents of any student for fees during the COVID-19 lockdown or bar pupils from attending online classes. The violation of the order can attract legal action, entailing up to a year-long jail term or stringent fine, or both against the offender, he also said.
On April 9, the West Bengal government urged private schools to refrain from effecting any fee hike in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. State education minister Partha Chatterjee, in a video message uploaded on his Facebook page on Wednesday, said the government received complaints from some guardians that a section of private schools has increased fees, turning a blind eye to the present economic crisis due to the spread of COVID-19.
Rajasthan government has also directed the private schools not to take school fees in advance from students.
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