Early Times Report
Jammu, May 16 : While the schools has been asked to charge only tuition fee during this troubled time of coronavirus and lockdown, the coaching institutes in this winter capital, however remain unchecked and continue to‘mint’ money from students attending online classes.
Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department on Thursday directed private schools not to charge fees quarterly as well as take only tuition fee in order to give salary to teachers. The government order, however has no directions for the private coaching institutes and they as per reports, are not only charging tuition fee but have also hiked the monthly fee structure despite lockdown.
“My kids are attending online coaching classes with one of the renowned private institutes in city area. Earlier, we were paying Rs 21,000 for a period of three months for each, but this month the institute have asked them deposit (hiked) Rs 30,000/- in three instalments for next session,” a parent on the condition of anonymity said. “People are already into crisis especially those into private sector as they are suffering due to lockdown. Instead of providing some relaxation, they have hiked the fees,” rued a parent.
“If the government is considering about fee structure for students pursuing studies in private schools, why there is no check on these private institutes,” she added. Another parent talking to UNI asked why no committee was formed to check these coaching institutes ‘minting’ money in this period of crisis.
“The government claimed to have comprehensive education policy in place but nothing to check these institutes,” she said and appealed to the Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu to personally look into the matter.
“J&K is already facing problems due to low speed (2G) internet service and in such a situation, attending online classes is also becoming difficult barring for those having wifi facility at their home,” said a parent adding that many institutes have made it clear that no fee means no online classes and they have nothing to do with internet speed.
As per government order, “only tuition fees will be charged from students on monthly basis, instead of quarterly basis for the lockdown period and no fee hike shall be made during academic session 2020-2021.”
“No school will deny access to online education, material, classes to poor/deserving students unable to pay school pay due to prevailing situation”, the order reads. |
