Private school associations in Karnataka to initiate protest on Feb 23 pertaining to 30 per cent fee cut

The private schools’ associations in the state of Karnataka are planning to initiate a protest in Bengaluru scheduled for February 23 adhering to the government’s issued order to the schools to have a 30 per cent cut in the tuition fee. The order was directed on January 29 by the state government, against which the school associations will be staging the protest. The govt order directed to the schools specifies that they can only collect as much as 70 per cent of the total tuition fees and will not be able to charge fees under any other order.

The school managements have termed the issued order as ‘unscientific’ and are urging to repeal the passed orders.

The protesters will start the rally from Sri Krantiweera Sangolirayanna Railway Station in Bengaluru and will continue till Freedom Park. The protesters include the teachers, non-teaching staff and the management members representing ten private school associations across the state which also comprises of KAMS, Archidocesan Board of Education Bengaluru and Independent Schools Federation of India.

In a press release, the General Secretary of Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), Shashi Kumar said the count of 25,000 people which includes the teachers, non-teaching staff and management members will be staging the protest against the fee cut.

The press release stated, “The objective of the protest is the financial distress of private education institutions, unscientific fee reduction, the imposition of a new school clause for the old schools under the COVID-19 pandemic in the name of accreditation renewal.”

The private schools are constantly iterating that the order of fee cut will further aggravate the financial crisis and they have been subjected to constant harassment by Block Education Officer (BEO) and Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) officers and have not procured any reimbursement for the students who are given admission under the Right to Education scheme.

Earlier, in February, they appealed to government to not give fees concession beyond 15 per cent, and simultaneously urged for property tax waiver along with water bill. A memorandum stating the same has been presented to the Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K Sudhakar.

Meanwhile, it is the Karnataka Private Schools’ Parents’ Associations’ Coordination Committee requesting the government to stay firm on the decision and not succumb to the pressure exerted by private schools to repeal the issued orders.

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