Shillong, June 16: All Meghalaya School Parents Association (AMSPA) today has written to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mr Conrad K Sangma expressing distress to the permit given by the State Government for Private Schools.
In the letter AMSPA said that Meghalaya Lockdown Epidemic Diseases, COVID-19 Regulations for Prevention and Containment are in force, also in the whole of Nation at present. Hence all are required to comply with the provisions for the same.
Whereas, everyone is aware that the outbreak of Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) has been declared as Pandemic by W.H.O and at present, it is a major threat of life and therefore a grave matter of concern in the country.
AMSPA said that being social emergency life situation including Meghalaya is almost 3-4 months Lockdown is running with effect from March, 24th 2020 people are under strict directions to restrain from going out of their homes.
With the subject cited above, AMSPA is hereby distress about the permit which is given by the Meghalaya State Government through the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. P. S. Tynsong to the Private Schools for collecting Tuition Fees.
Whereas, most of the parents are labours and they are not in a position to pay the school fees for their children at increased rates or even at existing rates if demanded on monthly or quarterly basis in one go.
Schools authorities cannot force parents to pay the schools fees and most of the Private Schools here in Meghalaya are trying to collect School’s Fees and Tuition fees for their Children without conducting classes or schools reopen.
AMPSA against all schools authorities and management who are trying to collect schools fees from children. If school’s authority needs to collect the fees, they should have to reopen the schools or even conducting online classes at the same for better improvement of education.
“We have got several complaints about schools hiking and demanding of fees pressurising parents which is not even being utilised during the lockdown. No private school will be allowed to hike fees or collecting fees from parents without reopening the schools or even seeking permission from the State Government.
All the private schools here in Meghalaya should be warned very strict action under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. There are many schools were forcing parents to pay the fees as they are starting the new academic year.
While there was no clarity on how the school would function during the lockdown, some schools started online classes without consulting parents and asked for the payment of fees by sending through Messages and Whatsapp.
Whereas, many parents are not qualified, some of them are very busy due to their hard works, some of them are not having smartphones and also some of the children’s are not having parents. So, how all parents can do the same for giving the instructions to their children at home without getting the basis of learning from the books.
The schools have no right to ask for fees for these three months as the school was closed during this period. “Since they did not teach, they cannot demand fees?”. Many people have lost their jobs and there was no business during three months period, and in such a situation, many parents cannot afford the fee at a time for three months.
All Meghalaya Schools Parents Association comes to a decision after facing various issues in relating with the parents, we hereby send a petition to your kind office, for asking the State Government to revoke its previous order in relating with all Private Schools.
The private schools here in Meghalaya cannot levy any fees or not even forcing parents without times of schools reopen at the same, except only those schools who are having an ‘online classes’ can collect the Tuition Fees.
AMSPA appeals the State Government for issued a notice to all the private schools and Institutions for not collecting any fees from parents during the period of time while schools are not reopening.
Also if schools are found to force parents to pay fees, action should be taken under sections 2, 3 and 4 under the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 or even to Section 188 of Indian Penal Code, 1860 for those violating the lockdown orders they had to face legal actions under the act. Said Mr. S. Banshai Marbaniang Chairman AMSPA.
