Chandigarh: Parents’ body seeks 15% school fee deduction for 2021-22 session

The Chandigarh Parents’ Association has written to the UT education secretary, seeking that private schools be directed to reduce their fees by 15% for 2021-22, similar to the previous academic session

The Chandigarh Parents’ Association has written to the UT education secretary, seeking that private schools be directed to reduce their fees by 15% for 2021-22, similar to the previous academic session.

The Chandigarh Parents’ Association also expressed gratitude to the UT education department for reducing fees for the 2020-21 session, citing underutilised facilities owing to the lockdown. (HT File)

“Private schools have made huge savings in their recurring expenses in the last two years, since the schools were closed. A significant number of students had to change schools or dropped out during the lockdown and some parents have been unable to pay the fees even till now,” the letter states.

They also expressed gratitude to the UT education department for reducing fees for the 2020-21 session, citing underutilised facilities owing to the lockdown.

President of the association Nitin Goyal, said, “All private schools are mandated to upload their balance sheets online, yet many of them don’t do it. As they claim to have suffered heavy losses during the lockdowns and say that the fees is needed to run the school, the balance sheet will paint a clear picture of how much money the schools really need.”

The private schools meanwhile have opposed this move. President of Independent Schools Association HS Mamik, said, “It is impossible to provide relief this way. The order issued by the department, even for the 2020-2021, is illegal and we will challenge it in court soon. Such orders for the city’s schools have to come from the Lok Sabha and can’t be issued just by the department.”