Will strike off names of students if fee not paid: Panchkula schools

Will strike off names of students if fee not paid: Panchkula schools

Kamini.Mehta@timesgroup.com

Panchkula:  25.06.2020

Panchkula schools have started messaging parents to clear their dues or they will strike off the names of their wards. The schools are quoting Haryana government’s order which has given them liberty to strike off the names of students if their parents fail to pay the fees.

This has left parents, especially those facing financial problems, worried about the future of their children. In the fee reminder messages, schools are telling parents to pay dues for the months of April, May and July by the end of June and to pay monthly fee by 15th date of every month from July onwards.

“According to the directions of the state government, with effect from June 2020, the last date to deposit fee for every month is 15th. According to the notification dated June 9, 2020 of the Haryana government school education department, the name of your ward will be struck off the roles by the school if fee is not paid. So, you are again requested to clear the dues of your ward latest by June 27, 2020 to avoid any inconvenience,” read the message by one of the schools.

Mahavir Singh, additional chief commissioner, Government of Haryana, school education department, removed the point stating that “All private schools will not strike off the name of any student due to non-payment of fee nor will they deprive any student of online education.” This point was mentioned in the orders dated May 22 and April 23 by the government.

According to the sources from the department, the move has been taken after various private schools stated that many parents, who could pay the fees, were also not paying it due to the relaxations given by the government.

A school principal requesting anonymity shared, “There are many parents who have not been paying fees even though they can. Only 30% to 40% parents paid the fee for April and May, while only 15% paid the fee for June. Though, we are ready to accept requests from parents who are genuinely facing financial problems.”