Gujarat private schools put online education on hold from July 23

While the Gujarat government-directed private schools in the state to not collect tuition fees from students as long as they remain shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several self-financed schools reportedly decided to put online education on hold from July 23. According to a media outlet, the decision, which is going to affect the education of lakhs of students, was taken by Akhil Gujarat Rajya Shala Sanchalak Mahamandal, an association that has management and trustees of schools on board. 

It is not clear as to how many privates schools in the state are stopping the online classes, however, a large number of schools affiliated to CBCS and ICSE have reportedly intimated to parents that there won’t be any classes for students from Class I to XII. The decision by the schools comes after the Gujarat government issued guidelines in a bid to provide relief to the students and parents. While the state government directed schools to not increase fees for the year 2020-21 and to not expel any student for failure to pay the fees, Naranbhai Patel, the president of the Mahamandal, reportedly said that the decision by the government does not support the schools and parents. 

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While Patel reportedly said that the Mahamandal has repeatedly represented the state government that a solution is brought about for the fees, it was noted that schools have been arguing that they have to pay the teaching and non-teaching staff. The association of parents have also been demanding that fees other than tuition fees should not be levied as children do not go to school. The Gujarat High Court had asked the state government to work out some modalities with the schools regarding fees. 

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Stand-off between government and private schools 

According to reports, soon after the state government directed schools affiliated to Gujarat Board and schools taking grants from the government to carry out online classes through Doordarshan channels. The government schools also provided study materials to students in remote areas of the state. On the other hand, for the self-financed schools, the government asked them not to collect tuition fees or not to hike it for the present year. 

While the stand-off between the state government and private schools continue, Patel reportedly also said that the Mahamandal had volunteered to bring about a solution in such a manner that parents who can afford to pay fees would pay, and the cases of those who cannot pay will be looked into. The private schools have argues that they have to pay the salaries, however, the state education department noted that many schools have either not paid any salary or paid only 40-50 per cent salary to their teaching and non-teaching staff during the period of the lockdown.

(Image: Rep/Unsplash) 

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