Reeling under sever financial crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many private schools and junior colleges in Srikakulam district are staring at closure.

The managements of many educational institutions have reportedly dropped hints to the lecturers, teachers and the non-teaching staff that they would not be able to pay salaries.

Fees pending

The managements say that many parents are yet to pay the fees that were supposed to be cleared in March and April. “As a practice, the institutions are paid the last installments of their annual fees just before the final examinations. However, the examinations could not be conducted this year as the nationwide lockdown was imposed in the third week of March and the fees are yet to be paid,” says a proprietor of a private school requesting anonymity.

Forget about staff salary, many institutions could not clear the building rent, electricity bills and the statutory payments to the respective universities and other government organisations, he explains.

“Many families received ₹15,000 from the government towards Amma Vodi benefits in January. However, a majority of them chose not to pay the fees. The government also stopped the fee reimbursement scheme for intermediate colleges after the introduction of the Amma Vodi scheme and this affected the colleges directly,” says director of a private college.

Impact on enrolment

Further, the private schools are also not hopeful about good enrolment in the next academic year.

“With the government schools being modernised under the Nadu-Nedu scheme, many parents may not sent kids to private schools. It will have a direct impact on the admissions. So, situation is very grim and we are staring at an uncertain future. More than 50 schools and colleges in Srikakulam district are staring at closure,” says correspondent of a private high school.

Samaritans offer help

Meanwhile, several organisations and Samaritans have come forward to help the teaching and non-teaching staff who have been struggling to make their ends meet. The Tech Mahindra-Bollineni Medskills is distributing ration to 350 teachers and non-teaching staff of educational institutions.

The alumni of Palasa-Kasibugga Zilla Prarishad High School led by Chapara Venugopal, A. Harishkumar Srikanth and Nabili Srinivasa Rao distributed ₹1,000 each to 300 private school teachers, other employees and school bus drivers in the district.

“Around 20,000 private school teachers are in the need of help and the government should bail them out,” says Mr. Venugopal.