By OUR STAFF REPORTER
MUSSOORIE, 7 Jun: Parents, here, are worried about the fees demanded by the schools, particularly as many of them have had neither work nor money during the lockdown. They allege school managements are constantly pressurising them to deposit the fees. The parents, on Saturday, demanded waiver of 3 months’ fees and a rebate of 50 percent on upcoming fees. The government and the Department of Education have been requested to follow the guidelines in this regard. The parents have also sent a memorandum in this regard to SDM Mussoorie and the District Education Officer.
Social activist Rajat Aggarwal said that, during the lockdown, several guidelines had been issued by the government regarding educational institutions, in which there are many exemptions, with the provision of online classes, but many schools are not following it. He said that due to the arbitrariness of the school managements, the guardians were quite disturbed. Such an attitude would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
School Education Officer Bharti Rawat and School Coordinator Rajeshwari Thapliyal said that the guidelines issued by the government were being fully adhered to. The fee hike had been decided on at a meeting with the parents in November before the lockdown. No fee increase had take place during the lockdown. They said that some parents were unnecessarily applying pressure. They claimed that the guidelines issued by the government and education department were being followed fully.
Mussoorie Police In-charge Devendra Singh Aswal said the school managements and parents had been instructed not to let any dispute arise, while not violating the rules of lockdown and social distancing. No protest could be held without permission of the administration and strict action would be taken against violators.
