Nagpur: After TOI reported about three private
schools reducing
fees in view of Covid-19 pandemic, many parents and a parents’ NGO have hailed the move and called on other schools to emulate this ‘humanitarian gesture’. Some also vented anger on social media against private schools, which, they claimed, were exploiting parents in such an unprecedented crisis.
TOI had reported about Prahaar,
Kurveys New Model, and Nahate schools that slashed fees substantially and helped out distressed parents despite facing losses. None of these schools have reduced salaries of their teaching and non-teaching staff, as against some of the city’s top schools that have sacked staff citing the pandemic.
Terming the three schools as ‘Corona warriors’, Rashtriya Shikshak Palak Sangathan (RSPS), which is fighting against management of top schools on behalf of parents to reduce fee, said they had set a precedent for others. “It’s unbelievable in today’s commercial times that these three schools reduced fees on their own considering financial problems faced by scores of parents. It is really commendable they’re offering discounts ranging from 25% to 85%,” RSPS coordinator Yogesh Pathare said.
Calling on the government to help parents, he requested stringent action against schools “looting parents by collecting sports, library and laboratory fees even though schools were closed”.
A parent, Dippak Awachat, said these schools are really doing charitable work for which they were provided land by the government. “My son is studying in a private school and they were charging us under heads which aren’t possible due to closure. I have a seasonal business which has suffered due to lockdown. A majority of parents like me are facing the worst crisis of our lives. When we requested the school to reduce fees by 50%, they refused and threatened to block the online education link. We’re somehow managing our homes.”
Many parents also reacted to the TOI news on social media platforms. “They take 12% commission on books, uniforms and even on transportation. They also recover minor charges like for photo identity cards from students. Parents paid fees all these years without questioning or opposing it. At least in this big crisis, the schools should grant relief to parents and support them,” said Amit Heda of Consumer Justice Platform.
Endorsing him, another parent said even if a majority of schools slashed their charges by 50%, they wouldn’t face any losses. “For all these years, they have accumulated profits and used it to open new branches and create assets. Now, it’s time to pay back to parents, who’re really battling for survival due to job losses or dip in businesses after lockdown. All these years, they never protested and blindly paid fees without ever questioning schools,” he said.
PARENTS SPEAK
* Prahaar, Kurveys New Model, and Nahate schools are ‘Corona warriors’ for reducing fees
* Other schools should replicate ‘humanitarian gesture’ shown by them
* Schools should extend helping hand to parents in such crisis
* Even govt should take call on reducing fees
* All these years, schools accumulated profits
* Many parents battling for survival due to job losses or dip in business