Pvt schools warned against hiking fees

Shrinivasa.M
Mysuru: The state government has warned private schools not to hike fees this academic year and follow the fee structure of the previous year.
KG Jagadeesha, commissioner, department of public instruction, informed that the state government has prohibited hike in the school fees for the academic year 2020-21.
According to the government order dated June 19, issued by the under-secretary, education department, private schools have been asked to follow 2019-20 fee structure. In the order, it has been pointed out that due to the lockdown announced to contain the spread of the Covid-19, a majority of the parents are facing the financial crisis. They approached the state government seeking direction to prevail on the private educational institutions against any hike in fees this year.
The decision has come as a big relief for parents struggling to pay school fees due to lockdown related financial blues.
D Shashikumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools (KAMS) said private schools are now collecting arrears of 2019-20 fees. “We will decide about 2020-21 fee structure once classes resume,” he said. Some private schools are offering online education for students to keep them engaged.
Meanwhile, parents want the education department to rein on private schools and implement its order strictly. “Many schools have already completed the admission process and collected fees. The government should ask the schools to refund the excess amount they have collected. Issuing order alone is not enough,” said Vasudev Murthy, a resident from Agrahara in Mysuru.