Commissioner of education(s) T. Ranjit Singh also said that school authorities will have to pay 50 percent of the monthly salary to the teachers and staff. The commissioner also mentioned that the collected tuition fees should exceed 50% of the payable monthly fees and the salary of the staff and teachers should not be below 50 percent of the payable monthly salary.
However, this did not go well with the All Manipur Student's Union which is one of the most powerful student bodies of the State. AMSU has threatened to launch an agitation if the education department fails to revoke the new order by October 8.
The state's student bodies, civil society organizations had several discussions and meetings with the education minister on issues related to the collection of school fees, and subsequently, the department issued an order asking schools not to collect tuition fee from students citing the closure of schools due to the pandemic, said Bruce Pebam, HRD secretary, AMSU.
Meanwhile, the order came as a sigh of relief for the private schools who had earlier protested an earlier order from the education department asking them to waive tuition fees off but pay 50 percent salary to the teachers.
Moreover, the order issued on Tuesday, by the commissioner also instructed the private schools to encourage and continue online distance learning to whatever extent possible.