Kolkata, June 15, 2020: Parents of students in Kolkata have come together to protest against schools not waiving off a part of their fees during the ongoing lockdown.
After a week of rallying around private schools, exhausted parents came together under a united banner – Save Parents, Save Citizens.
During a press conference on June 14, upset parents asserted that the corona pandemic and lockdown have affected the average citizens at several fronts. However, school fees and electricity bill have affected them the most, they noted.
Rafey Siddiqui, founder of Good Human Foundation and one of the parents, said: “The lockdown has affected in ways beyond imagination. So many of us have lost our jobs or have received a pay cut. Those in business have had to incur great loss. Some even had to roll up their businesses. So, with limited income we have no option but to request schools from not raising their fees for the new session and to waive a portion of their school fees, especially when the schools are closed.”
He also said they understand that the schools have to pay their teachers. “But we also know that many schools have gone for a salary deduction of the teachers. So, why are we being asked to pay the full fees?”
Jayeeta Debnath, who has spearheaded the fee-reduction movement at GD Birla, explained that the school charges tuition fees, lab fees, miscellaneous fees and others.
“Let us assume that the school is proving us services, for which we pay the fees. Thereby, following the simple rule, the school should at present charge us for services that they are offering us now, which is online teaching or tuition. They should waive off other fees that they levy on us.”
She also said that they had sent their children to big private schools so that they could grow up with good values. “The school, charging us full fees when many parents have lost jobs or got a pay cut, will only teach the students to be selfish and self-centered even during a crisis. This is precisely what the school is doing. They are selfishly thinking of their profit even during a pandemic.”
She also pointed that most schools have registered as trusts. “Their behavior is a violation of the Trust Act, 1882.”
Other panelists pointed out that some schools such as St Joseph and Don Bosco Liluah either exempted fees for three months or waived of half fees. They want other schools to follow these examples.
Noor Mehvish, a social activist, said parents have always paid full fees during the summer, puja and winter vacation. “We have never asked for a part of the fees to be waived off. Then why are we asking now? It’s because we parents are facing a financial crisis because of the pandemic. The school authorities should pay heed to our request and waive off fees,” she asserted.
The representatives of various social organizations urged the state government to closely monitor the school fees issue and the electricity boards charging regular electricity bills. Mehvish also said she knows the electricity boards have imposed a pay cut for its employees, but “charge electricity bills on the basis of our previous year electricity consumption.”
The parents have threatened to hit streets if the government, schools and the electricity boards heed to their request.
“We also want to stay safe in our homes. But if those in authority don’t pay heed to our requests, we will be left with no option but to come on streets. Such, is the state of our country, for every single right the citizens will have to hit the streets,” summed up Javed Akhtar, from All India Ekta Foundation.
Source: enewsroom.in
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