Maharashtra: Private schools unable to pay teachers as parents yet to pay fees

On Friday,Varsha Gaikwad, the state’s minister for school education announced that those parents who wish to lodge a complaint about schools forcing them to pay, despite the government circular, can write to the district education officer.

Several private school teachers have written to Maharashtra minister for school education Varsha Gaikwad, pleading that schools are unable to pay their salaries because they have not got fees from students yet. The letter comes on the back of Maharashtra education department’s March 30 circular to all the private schools in the state not to compel parents to pay their children’s fees during the ongoing nationwide lockdown, which will be in place at least till May 3, to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

Varsha Gaikwad, the state’s minister for school education made the announcement after several parents complained about private schools not adhering to the government’s circular about the exemption in payment of fees till the lockdown ends. (HT file photo. Representative image)

“Many private schools are not even receiving partial fee payments because of the state government’ circular. Private schools have been unable to pay their teachers in Mumbai and other parts of the state. The government can amend its circular and state that those parents, who can pay fees, or those who can make partial payments, can do so,” said Uday Nare, who teaches in Hansraj Morarji Public School in Andheri.

On Friday, Gaikwad announced that those parents who wish to lodge a complaint about schools forcing them to pay, despite the government circular, can write to the district education officer.

She made the announcement after several parents complained about private schools not adhering to the government’s circular about the exemption in payment of fees till the lockdown ends.