Kerala CBSE School Managements Association and Council of CBSE Schools Kerala have decided not to go for any fee hike in the new academic year in view of the COVID-19 situation.
The decision comes in the wake of the looming financial crisis due to the pandemic.
“We have also taken a policy decision not to collect any special fee. Schools will not insist parents to purchase new sets of uniforms,” said T. P. M Ibrahim Khan, president of the Kerala CBSE School Managements Association.
Indira Rajan, chief patron of the Council of CBSE Schools Kerala, said that the body will strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education on fee collection or any other issues related to the functioning of the schools in this COVID-19 pandemic.
“There will be no fee hike as suggested by the board in the new academic year,” she said.
In a circular issued on Friday, the board had requested the State governments to examine the issue of lump sum payment of school fees and teacher’s salaries sensitively and holistically considering the interest of all the stakeholders concerned. Fees shall be charged under the heads prescribed by the Department of Education of State/Union Territories. Admission fee and fee charged under any other head are to be charged only as per the regulations of the appropriate government, it said.
On the State government’s directive not to collect any fee in this lockdown period, Mr. Khan pointed out that the managements were not able to collect the last term fee as majority of the schools were closed since early March. The government can initiate a scheme to provide an interest free loan or to withdraw its decision not to permit the collection of fees, he said.
Ms. Indira Rajan said that the authorities should permit those parents who are willing to pay the fees to use the electronic mode to remit it as it will help the managements to pay the salary of the staff and meet other requirements.
