Private schools in Delhi demanding mid-day meal charges and transport fee for April to July 2020 despite shut off during corona uncertainty

The #corona epidemic graph in India is on rise, things are highly uncertain as to when this epidemic will come under control, what will happen in upcoming months. The #lock-down period has been extended till 3rd May 2020 and no one is sure how many months will it take for things to return to normal.

On account of lock-down, the economy has suffered a huge blow. Almost everyone has been bearing the economic burnt. Many businesses especially in #MSME category and in unorganised sector have collapsed or are at the verge of collapse. 14 crore people have lost jobs. People are finding it difficult to bear their day to day expenses for essential commodities.

However, private #schools in Delhi including those established on public land are bent to make profits and want to maintain their normal profits like normal times.

Not only the schools are demanding full fee as that during normal times but are also demanding the full #transport fee without the transport service being provided to students due to lock-down as well as full #mid-day meal charges.

In addition to mid-day meal and transport fee, in the name of providing online classes, the schools have also been charging the full #Tuition fee and other charges despite being quality issues in their online classes and digital infrastructural issues on part of parents as it all happened suddenly.

In the name of charity, the schools are charging the full transport fee and mid-day meal charges.

The private schools are full fledged corporate and have corporate social responsibility. However, the schools are diverting their corporate responsibility on parents.

When banks and landlords have are helping people by providing moratorium on loans, EMIs and on rent, schools are charging full fee as well as other fee/ levies without delivering the service to the student.

When labourers to lords, everyone is bearing the burnt and adjusting, school have no moral ground in demanding mid-day meal charges and transport fee for the period for April to July 2020 given the fact that these services have not been availed by students and there is severe economic crisis in the country due to lock down.

Parents are not asking for fee waiver or holding of normal fee till schools open. Parents are surprised how schools have lost their humanitarian face in demanding for mid-day meal charges and transport fee.

Though schools could have shown a helping attitude by holding the schools fee till schools reopen, however, If schools do not have funds to pay to teachers, there are other alternatives with schools,

1. Schools should utilise their corporate responsibility funds or take loan/grants from govt to meet the exigencies.

or

2. Despite schools shut Parents are already paying normal tuition fee and other such fee and charges that are sufficient to give teachers salary. If schools still not happy, they can pay to teachers one part of salary now and another part when schools reopen.

or

3. manage otherwise by other means till schools open.

Everyone of us must bear the burden together. Schools are also part of society and must adjust in order to help fellow countrymen come out of this epidemic war with deadly covid-19.

Article written on request by many parents. And I am sure school managements will not charge mid-day meal charges and transport fee till schools reopen.

#Directorate of education, Delhi, Deputy CM Manish #Sisodia and Arvind #Kejriwal CM Delhi should take note of situation and regulate schools accordingly.

#Delhi government has done a commendable work in regulating unbridled fee of private schools in past 5 to 6 years and I am sure #AAP government will keep up its work on in addition to focusing and improving on government schools including conduction of online classes for govt. school kids.

Thanks

Dr. R Singh

Director

Teaching Care Online Classes