As private school authorities have started to collect transport charges from the students for the last four months of shutdown period, parents have expressed serious concern over the move and demanded that government must clear its stand over the issue.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan, had last month issued an order in which it was clearly mentioned that the school authorities can’t collect transport charges from the students for the shutdown period when schools remained closed.
However, parents from various areas of Kashmir complained said that school managements have been forcing them to clear the transport charges of their wards for the strike period.
“Initially, the government had ordered that even the schools can’t charge tuition fees. However, later it was communicated that tuition fee has to be paid, but schools don’t have to charge transport fee. But now we are being asked to pay the both,” Mohammad Saleem, a parent whose son is studying in a private schools in Srinagar said.
“Our kids are sitting at home for the last almost four months and the schools are forcing us to pay for this period which is sheer injustice. The government must clear its stand on the issue,” he demanded.
Another parent from Baramulla said that the school authorities have asked them to clear all the dues till November failing which their wards won’t be allowed to sit in the next class. “The school authorities have withheld the results of our wards and have asked us to pay not only tuition but transport fees also before our wards will be promoted to next class,” he said.
President of Private Schools Association, G N Var said that final decision regarding payment of transport charges will be taken only after civil society, administration and school managements reach to some conclusion. “In next few days time, I am sure some settlement will arrive,” he said. (KNS)