Private schools in Assam agree to cut fees during Covid pandemic

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The management of non-government educational institutions of the state have agreed to cut some of the fees during the Covid-19 pandemic when they take online classes.

The principals of 13 private schools of Guwahati had a meeting with the Director of Secondary Education, Assam and the secretaries of the SEBA (Board of Secondary Education, Assam) and the AHSEC (Assam Higher Secondary Education Council) at Janata Bhawan here today. Guardians of students also attended the meeting. The Principal Secretary, the Department of Education, organized the meeting, following a directive from the Gauhati High Court.

Talking to The Sentinel, Advocate Fazluzzaman Mazumder, who did file a PIL (39/2021) on this issue, said, "The principals of 13 prominent non-government schools of Guwahati who attended the meeting agreed to cut some of the fees since they take online classes during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based on the suggestions received from all stakeholders, the Education Department will prepare guidelines, including the fee structure."

Hearing the PIL on July 19, 2021, a division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak directed the State Government to resolve the fee imbroglio by holding a meeting of the Principal Secretary, Education, and other stakeholders.

The PIL raised the issue that in the present COVID-19 pandemic situation, the private schools are charging their usual fees from the students although classes are not running in the physical form.

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