To pay or not to pay. Parents who were asked to pay have done so to ensure continuity of education for their children. But that hasn’t stopped many from questioning the fairness of charging fees when just online classes are being held. School managements have different reasoning saying basic costs and teachers salaries haven’t gone down. Bow with the Chief Minister saying in the Assembly that schools charging fees for online classes will have their licenses withdrawn changes the dynamics of the issue. Will parents complain as the CM has asked them to? Will school managements accept this? Also will the CM’s statement become an official notification for the decision to have validity? While answers to many questions will remain unanswered now, it is clear that parents haven’t been too pleased with full fees being charged in the first place, when no classes, except online classes, are being held.
With no exam and state lockdown, we have been asked to pay fees which is not fair
We have been asked to pay the fees for April and May when we were on complete lockdown. Currently, my kids are having 2 online classes a day for a duration of 40 minutes on zoom. We have been asked to pay the fees which is why parents have approached the school to wave off the fees due to the pandemic. But the school still insist on us paying the fees. Now a meeting is to be called to discuss how much fees should be charged. The school also claims that they are calling the teachers to school hence they have to be paid. With no exam and state lockdown, we have been asked to pay fees which is not fair to us parents as our income source has stopped– Danice Almeida, Thivim
Fees already paid should be adjusted by school in the subsequent months for tuition fees.
Tuition fees are charged monthly for the school primary section up to 4th standard for online classes, which is totally unacceptable. Besides one-time development and term fees which is for the whole year is also charged during admission. Considering online classes, I think the school should charge only 30 per cent of their original amount as their expenses towards salaries. As there are no virtual online classes for primary students only content of each subject are shared on Google classroom. It’s more of the parent’s contribution who sit with the children at home during such classes. Fees already paid should be adjusted by a school in the subsequent months for tuition fees- Dhiraj Mahambre, Ribandar
Unfair to charge parents full fees since class hours are reduced and school classroom utilities are not in use
Online classes are of course a valid way to keep the education ongoing, however, it’s unfair to charge the parents full fees since the class hours are reduced, the school classroom utilities are not in use, and also the parents have to bear in addition to the regular fees, the highspeed Internet cost. We understand that the teacher’s payroll is justified but we as parents should at least get some concession in the total fee, a 40% reduction would be fair- Fauzia khan , PDA colony, Porvorim
The school should bring down their tuition fees by at least 30- 40%.
I feel the fees the schools were earlier charging should come down remarkably since there are no direct expenses on most overheads of the school. Also, nowadays its more challenging for the parents to cope up with their business and job. The school should bring down their tuition fees by at least 30- 40%. But ensure that they pay their teachers, as they are overloaded with preparing for online classes- Anwaar Khan, Colvale, Mapusa
Contract of online classes and fees is one between parents and school management.
I am for the decision to collect fees. Whatever it may be, the contract of online classes and fees is one between parents and school management. Complaints can be filed regarding quality, number of such classes but to charge or not is a wholly sacrosanct decision between the two parties- Aditi Peshwe, Tonca, Miramar
We are not charging anything for the online classes
We are not charging anything for the online classes and so this decision by the CM is not relevant to us.
Sidharthi Netravalkar, Principal People’s High School, Fontainhas (quarter), Mala
