Hyderabad: Parents of students studying in schools in Hyderabad and other parts of the country demand a 50 percent fee waiver for the first quarter of the academic year. They also started an online movement for it.
As a part of the movement, they uploaded photos and videos of the parents protesting with placards.
Schools in Hyderabad collect fee for various activities
Seema Agarwal, Vice-President of Hyderabad School Parents Association (HSPA) alleged that despite clear instruction to schools, management of the educational institutions are collecting free for various activities.
Many parents are raising their voices on social media against the school managements. They alleged that despite knowing the fact that due to lockdown, many have lost their jobs, authorities of schools are pressuring them to clear the dues.
They also demand that NCERT books should be made mandatory in all the schools across the country.
Community and slum schools
Meanwhile, managements of community schools and schools that run in slum areas demand the government to provide financial packages. They alleged that corporate schools receive benefits due to government schemes whereas, they are deprived of any such facility.
Citing the reason for demanding the package, they said that due to lockdown, parents are not in a position to clear dues. However, they have to pay school building rents and salaries to teachers.
Managements of these schools claimed that during the lockdown too, they paid at 50 percent salary to teachers.
They even distribute ration kits to poor during the crisis time.
Now, they demand financial package in the form of relaxation in municipal taxes, interest-free loans, etc. It may be noted that 70 percent of students study in these schools.