Odisha: Parents seek school fee waiver, stage protest

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha (OAM), the state-level parents’ association, on Monday reiterated its demand to waive school fees by private schools in the wake of coronavirus outbreak and consequent lockdown. Earlier the chief minister had requested all private schools not to collect fees for three months (March to May) due to financial constraints caused to parents due to lockdown. The parents, however, alleged that private schools in the state continue to collect fees. Opposing this, several members of the OAM observed a five-hour standing protest in front of Jayadev Bhawan here on Monday maintaining social distance.
“The schools are using pressure tactics to collect fees from parents. Despite chief minister’s request they have been continuing collecting hiked fees, causing mental pressure and financial burden to parents, who are incurring huge financial losses due to lockdown and closed businesses and salary cuts,” said Basudev Bhatt, convener of the OAM.
He alleged that schools have been collecting monthly fees, re-admission fees, transport charges even though schools are closed, instructor fees, computer fees, day-boarding fees and development fees from the parents during lockdown.
The parents also alleged that the schools continued to sell books during lockdown and forced parents to come and collect books from school counters without maintaining social distancing. Even though the government had instructed schools to follow and sell NCERT books, several schools did not follow it. The schools did not follow the order of Odisha Human Rights Commission as well to upload books in school websites according to NCERT curriculum, said Bhatt.
The parents association said they are urging the state government to intervene and ask the private schools not to increase or collect fees from parents and take action against schools. “The state government’s sympathy for private schools has cost hundreds of parents dear. If the state government does not take any strong action in this regard then the parents will intensify their protest in coming days,” said Prasanna Bisoyi, co-convener of the association.