Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Suresh Kumar on Friday said the State government has issued directions to schools to complete the process of admission from Class 1 to X by September 30 and collect the fees applicable only for the first term.
Fielding reporters’ queries in Mysuru, Mr. Kumar said the State government was awaiting necessary directions from the Centre to start regular classes for students. “Students of Classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 can go to their respective institutions to clarify doubts in studies from September 21. Regular classes will not begin. We are still awaiting a green signal from the Centre,” he said.
Students visiting their educational institutions for doubts should mandatorily carry a consent letter signed by their parents, besides wearing a mask, and maintaining social distancing. A detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in this regard will be issued by the government on Saturday.
He said there was a need to complete the admission process for schools by a particular date. By June every year, about 10 lakh students would be admitted to schools. As the process could not be completed this year due to COVID-19, Mr. Kumar said the schools had been asked to complete it by September 30.
Completion of the admission process was necessary for various reasons including the need for educational institutions to know how many textbooks they would require for the year, he said.
“Also, we have given directions to schools to collect fees only for the first term. Parents can complain to their local Block Education Officer (BEO) or Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) if any dispute arises,” he said.
Different schools divide their annual fees into two terms or three terms. Depending on the number of terms each institution has divided its annual fees into, they can collect the fees for one term. Mr. Kumar clarified that the government has issued directions that no educational institution can increase its fees for the year. “The school fees should not be higher than last year’s fees,” he said.