Looking at the hardships of the private schools amid rampant demands of slashing the school fees, the Jaipur Bench of the Rajasthan High Court has directed the State Government to issue instructions regarding payment of interim school fees, latest by 28th October.
The Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Satish Kumar Sharma has passed an order for a batch of appeals filed by the private schools against the order of the government on the issue of payment of school fees amid suspension of physical classes due to Covid 19 pandemic.
" considering the hardships of the private schools, it is directed that the State Government shall issue necessary directions by 28.10.2020 positively regarding interim fees which the private schools shall be allowed to charge subject to final decision in this regard," the Bench ordered.
It is to be noted that the State Government has already constituted a Committee for deciding the fees to be charged by the private schools for the lockdown duration. The Government has informed the Court about the Committee being in the process of finalizing the recommendations and an affidavit shall be filed on behalf of the State Government on November 2, 2020.
The Senior Advocate Kamlakar Sharma has already showed the concern about the difficulties of the private schools, reminding the Court to pass this interim order.
The Rajasthan High Court had already ordered the State Government to take decision on the issue regarding payment of school fees of the private schools and extended the stay till 20th October. The High Court stated that the State government has some powers during the Epidemic Diseases Act is in effect and it should have made certain orders for the payment of fees t the private schools.
The Single bench of the High Court had earlier allowed the private schools to collect 70% of the tuition fees from the parents in three instalments. The orders were passed after the petition was filed before the High Court by many private schools including Society of Catholic Education Institutions in Rajasthan and Progressive school Association. It had said that the schools can prevent a child to attend classes if his/her parents were not able to pay the fees but schools were not allowed to rusticate a child from school.
86540
103860
630
114
59824
