Pune: Is your child being blocked from attending the online classes by the school for non-payment of fees? If this is the case, then you must read this news. The Deputy Director of Education has given instructions to take strict action against schools who are blocking students from attending online classes for not paying the fees.
Most of the parents are facing economic hardships due to the lockdown-induced losses in employment and income. Still, some schools are pressurising parents and children to pay the complete fees for this academic year. Even though the schools have not reopened, the school management is asking parents to buy books, uniforms from a particular vendor and also to pay the entire fees of this year.
Several schools have adopted a strategy to block children from attending online classes if their parents have not paid the school fees of this year. Due to this, children are suffering educational loss and also undergoing a psychological trauma. Hence the school education department has decided to take strict action against such schools.
Deputy Director Vaijnath Khandke has instructed education officers of schools in Pune, Solapur and Nagar district to keep a watch on schools restricting students from online education and to take strict action against anyone who are found indulging in such practices.
Some schools are deliberately not sending links for online education to children whose fees are not paid. They are also not sharing passwords with these children. Parents are expected to pay fees but they can buy time or take concession from the school by discussing with the school management. The state government has made it clear that schools can’t force parents to pay the fees for this year and the next academic year. Hence schools can’t block access of children to online education only for reason of non-payment of fees.
Ganpat More, Secondary Education Officer of Pune ZP said, “The Pune Zilla Parishad Education Department has received six complaints against some schools who have blocked access to online education of children whose parents have not paid the fees. The Pune ZP has written letters and communicated to the schools that they should indulge in such practices otherwise action will be taken against them.”
