The directorate of school education recently sent a show cause notice to a renowned school known for its imposing building for charging exaggerated tuition fee and miscellaneous fees from the parents during lockdown. While we are very sure the school in question will use its influence and clout to tide over the problem and would stave off the prospect of being heavily penalized for the violation of rules, it remains to be seen whether the other schools might as a consequence fall in line and stop harassing students.
It has been a troublesome time for everyone, more so for the unorganized sectors. How will a driver, a mason, a carpenter or for that matter salesmen at various shops pay the school fee of their wards? While we understand that the private schools have to pay salaries to the teachers but if the schools will force their will like this, it is very disheartening and schools should be penalized like the Directorate of school education has done.
The common observation in business matters is that an employer in no way pays more than one-third of the total revenue as salary. Going by that theory an employer with a recurring income like an owner of a school should easily be able to pay salaries to the teachers for at least six months on end.
In case a school has gone financially bankrupt than why does not the school file for bankruptcy? Why this much delay? Why no mergers and acquisitions happening? Why directorate of school education is waiting for complaints to be filed, why not maintain a strong checking squad to see if the schools are not violating orders and directions given by the board from time to time.
Time has come to penalize a few schools heavily so that an example is set. We are all going through a tough time. We need to have the moral courage to pay off our employees from the past profits we have made through them.
We hope the show cause notice sent by the Directorate of School Education is not a mere eyewash but a first of many concrete steps to ensure schools to not harass parents for these ” higher tuition fee” or ” miscellaneous charges”. We have our hopes high.
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