Maharashtra: No hike in school fees for the academic year 2020-21

In what comes as a huge relief to parents of schoolchildren during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak, the Maharashtra Education Department on Saturday announced that there will be no hike in school fees for the academic year 2020-21.

The State Education Department also informed that schools should not force parents to pay the remaining fees of the academic year 2019-20 and the fee for 2020-21 in one go, keeping in mind the current crisis. The department, in an order, also said that more payment options for depositing the school fees should be added to the preexisting traditional methods.

"There will be no hike in school fees for this academic year 2020-21. Parents should not be forced to pay the remaining fee of the academic year 2019-20 and the fee for 2020-21 in one go, they must be given monthly/quarterly payment options,’’ the Maharashtra Education Department said in its order.

The department has also asked the executive committee of the Parent Teachers Association to review and reduce fees if some resources remained unused during the lockdown.

In a government resolution issued on Friday, the state School Education Secretary, Vandana Krishna said, “We have received complaints from parents that some schools are forcing them to pay fees during the COVD-19 lockdown. Schools must not make it mandatory for parents to pay fees during the lockdown.”

School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad had earlier hinted that the Maharashtra government will soon issue a notification urging schools not to hike fees for the academic year beginning from June 2020, in view of the current coronavirus crisis.

This decision will provide considerable relief to parents as the pandemic has impacted earnings, led to a loss of employment, and meant steep salary cuts for a large number of people, she added.