NAGPUR: Various associati- ons representing grant-in-aid school trustees and principals have refused to reopen their institutes till the Maharashtra government funds Covid-19 related costs. These aided schools have demanded Rs 1 lakh for every 500 students to carry out sanitization of premises and meet medical and staff expenses.
TOI had reported on July 2 itself that many schools will not reopen unless the government meets their Covid-19 costs. Maharashtra Rajya Shikshan Sanstha Mahamandal, a state-level association of trusts which control one or more institutes, has written to CM Uddhav Thackeray that schools shall remain locked till the money is deposited in their accounts.
Ravindra Fadnavis, executive member of MRSSM who signed the letter to the CM, said, “We are not against reopening of schools, but we are against a callous attitude. We cannot risk the health of any child which is why the campus needs to be fully sanitized as per government guidelines. But for aided schools like us, who cater to low- income families, there is no scope of generating such funds.”
The organization says Rs 1 lakh per 500 students is the minimum which must be provided. “We will be spending thousands of rupees daily to sanitize the campus if we are to provide a safe environment for our students,” said Fadnavis, who manages a century-old Marathi school and junior college.
Education minister Varsha Gaikwad did not respond to TOI’s calls for a reaction.