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65% private schools in Chandigarh refuse to pay salaries to employees for April
The Independent Schools Association, a body of private schools in Chandigarh, said that if the UT education department doesn’t allow schools to collect fee soon, salaries of teachers and Class 4 employees will be not be paid
Of 77 private schools in Chandigarh, over 50 schools said that they will not be paying salaries to employees for April. The Independent Schools Association (ISA), a body of private schools in Chandigarh, said that if the UT education department doesn’t allow schools to collect fee soon, salaries of teachers and Class 4 employees will be not be paid.
ISA chairman HS Mamik told the Hindustan Times that the association will be approaching the Punjab and Haryana high court next week if no respite is given to schools by the education department.
“Out of all the member schools, only 5 to 7 schools will be able to pay the salaries while the rest of the schools do not have sufficient funds to give salaries, said the chairman.
“In my school itself, the budget for salaries is around ₹1 crore per month. Other member schools have to pay a minimum of 50-60 lakh as salary, he said while questioning, “How will they pay it unless they get fee from students?”
He further said, “It is important that the fee should be paid by May 10 or latest by May 12 to sustain the schools. It is through the fee paid by the students that the employees get their salaries and the financial obligation is met.”
As a matter of fact, around 12,000 teachers are employed in private schools in Chandigarh and the overall education industry is worth crores.
The education department had deferred payment of tuition fee for the 2020-21 session in government and private schools owing to lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. The order said that the dates for fee collection will be announced after the schools reopen and a month’s time will be given for the payment.
After repeated complaints regarding fees collection by various city schools, the education department had asked all private unaided schools to display their balance sheet online by March 30. However, none of the schools complied with the directions. Explanation calls were also made to over 15 schools by the education department.
Chandigarh Parents’ Association president Nitin Goyal said, “If balance sheets of any school reveal that the school management is short of funds for paying the salaries of the staff, those particular schools should be allowed to charge a reduced fee to be able to cover the salaries of teachers and other employees only. Parents should not be burdened with the fat salaries of the top management and trustees as they are already very well-off and secured financially, Goyal added.
UT director of school education Rubinderjit Singh Brar said, “The department is reconsidering the fee collection directive. A call in this regard will be taken by the senior authorities on Monday.”
