PIL filed seeking waiver of school fees during lockdown
Mumbai: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court by a social activist asking the state government to direct schools to not force parents to pay fees. The activist has also demanded that the schools charge minimal or only term fee's this year. The petitioner has gone ahead and said that online education for the 1st to 4th standard should be stopped like other states as it is very stressful for the parent as well as the pupil.
In a PIL filed by Social Activist from Thane, Dr. Binu Varghese through his counsel Padma Shelatkar the activist has made the State Government and Education Minister as respondents and demanded the following.
The social activist had tweeted and shared in all Social Media platforms that schools this year should reduce fees considering the pandemic and the financial conditions of the parents.
"I got several calls from people all over the country who were with me and told me that their schools were forcing them to pay the fees," said Varghese.
Varghese then wrote to the education minister Varsha Gaikwad about it.
"As the response was not very appreciating one, from the education department we decided to file a PIL," said Varghese.
"We have filed a PIL, as every parent is having tough times paying fees as several of them have lost jobs, while some of them have got salary cuts. Some CBSE, ICSE and IB schools charge huge fees the parents are really in a soup to pay them," said Shelatkar.
"We want the state government to warn schools to not force parents to charge fees as they did usually. Give them time and also reduce fees for this year," said Shelatkar.
Parents and children can take drastic steps if they are unable to pay fees.
Shelatkar said their petition also demanded the stopping of online classes for pre-primary and primary sections as they were detrimental for students.
"There was no clear thing on the screen time-sharing and also parents have to sit with the students from 9 am to 3 pm as small children can't handle phone or laptops for online education," said Shelatkar.
The petitioner has also stated the example of the Karnataka Government in stopping online classes for pre-primary and primary schools.
Already with no house-maids due to Corona fear, if the mother has to sit for so long it was affecting house chores she said.
The petitioner has also demanded that some schools are charging increased fees in the name of online education and the government needs to look into it.
"We don't want schools to take unnecessary projects where a lot of money is being spent by a parent," said Varghese.
The petitioner has demanded after the court passes stricter in the matter, the state government can act against the schools for violating the norms.
The petition has been filed and soon a bench will be hearing it, said Varghese.
