Don't demand school fees now : Student bodies

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, May 29 : Six student bodies-All Manipur Students Union (AMSU); Manipuri Students Federa-tion (MSF); Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM); Kangleipak Stu-dents' Association KSA; Students Union of Kang-leipak (SUK) and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Sin-panglup (AIMS) have urged the authorities of private schools to stop collecting as well as pressing for fees from students/parents until the Government announces an appropriate fee structure for the pandemic period.
A press release jointly issued by the six student bodies said that certain private schools urging the students/parents to clear their monthly fees during these trying times is upsetting.
Saying that they (the 6 student bodies) take the matter very seriously as many families are even finding it to cope with the Covid induced restrictions let alone clearing school fees, the statement urged school authorities to stop at once forbidding students from attending online classes/exams for not clearing fees.
All students should be treated equally, they said.
Given the prevailing situation, the State Government and the Education Department should decide on the rate of fees to be collected from students of private and aided schools (other than the State Government schools and schools under the Central Government) and the salary to be given to the teachers/staff as soon as feasible, the statement continued and appealed to all concerned to stop collecting as well as pressing for fees from students/parents until the order comes out. It may be mentioned that the Education Department  (S) had, in its order dated October 5, 2020, directed private and aided schools to collect 30% of the monthly payable fees from the parents of the students and to pay 50% of the monthly salary to the teachers/staff for the period of closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic w.e.f April 2020.
The student bodies will not remain silent if the demand is ignored, it said and urged the students, guardians and teachers/staff to send a message to their  Facebook pages or contact 7005606920; 8837457630; 8794145874; 7005837341; 6009679960 or 7085199288 for any queries or complaints.