The CBSE Schools Management Association (CSMA) has appealed to the state and central governments to allow them to collect the pending fees from parents in order to be able to pay the salaries to staff and ensure smooth functioning of schools.

The association president C.S. Manoharan stated in a memorandum, “We request the parents and government to understand that lakhs of teachers and other staff members will be drastically affected without their salaries. If the government extends the time for paying fees for the parents, we request the government to give interest-free loans through banks to help schools cover expenses during the lockdown period.”

The CSMA further asked to release the reimbursements for RTE (Right to Education) admissions that have been kept on hold and to grant schools awaiting new or an extension of their affiliation, an extension of one year.

P. Ashok Shankar, secretary of CSMA, said most schools had immediately started online classes and ensured that students were effectively engaged. He added, “We are following the directives of the CBSE and Ministry of Human Resource Development to ensure that learning continues and are taking efforts in facilitating live classrooms and other such activities.”

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Nursery Primary and Matriculation Higher Secondary and CBSE Schools Association also appealed for financial exemptions from the government. The CBSE schools finish their final term exams in March and generally conduct classes for the next academic year for a few days in April before they close down for the summer holidays. Most private State board schools too finish the fee collection for the new academic year in advance and the lockdown, they say, has disrupted this.

Chennai Chief Educational Officer and other district-level officials warned schools in their jurisdictions against pressuring parents to pay the fees immediately. When a question was recently raised about schools collecting fees, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said that action would be taken if specific complaints were received about schools pressurising parents.

Also read: Private schools disregard govt directive, tells parents to pay fees for next academic year

Also read: CBSE to announce new board 2020 exam dates after lockdown

Source: The Hindu