CBSE
schools urge government to let them collect fees to pay salaries of teachers,
staff
By
: STAFF REPORTER CHENNAI , APRIL 13,
2020
The
CBSE Schools Management Association has further asked for the reimbursements
for RTE admissions, which have been kept on hold, to be released soon
The
CBSE Schools Management Association (CSMA) has appealed to the State and
Central governments to let them collect the pending fees from parents to pay
staff salaries and ensure the smooth functioning of schools.
In
a memorandum, the association president C.S. Manoharan has stated that all
schools had to shut down by March 21 owing to the sudden lockdown due to the
spread of COVID-19.
“We
request the parents and government to understand that lakhs of teachers and
other staff members will be drastically affected without their salaries. If the
government extends the time for paying fees for the parents, we request the
government to give interest-free loans through banks to help schools cover
expenses during the lockdown period,” the memorandum stated.
The
CSMA has further asked for the reimbursements for RTE (Right to Education)
admissions, which have been kept on hold, to be released soon and to grant
schools awaiting new or an extension of their affiliation, an extension of one
year.
P.
Ashok Shankar, secretary of the association, said that most schools had
immediately started online classes and had ensured that students were
effectively engaged. “We are following the directives of the CBSE and Ministry
of Human Resource Development to ensure that learning continues and are taking
efforts in facilitating live classrooms and other such activities,” he said.
The
Tamil Nadu Nursery Primary and Matriculation Higher Secondary and CBSE Schools
Sssociation too, had earlier, appealed for financial exemptions from the government.
The
CBSE schools finish their final term exams in March and generally conduct
classes for the next academic year for a few days in April before they close
down for the summer holidays. Most private State board schools too finish the
fee collection for the new academic year in advance and the lockdown, they say,
has disrupted this.
“While
we understand that it is a tough time for everyone, we want institutions to be
allowed to collect fees from parents who are able to and willing to do so. We
do not wish to compromise on the salaries of our teaching and non-teaching
staff,” a school principal said.
Chennai
Chief Educational Officer and other district-level officials have warned
schools in their jurisdictions against pressuring parents to pay the fees
immediately. When a question was recently raised about schools collecting fees,
Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said that action would be taken if
specific complaints were received about schools pressurising parents.
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