In the wake of spread of COVID-19 pandemic, India is heading towards a new paradigm in conducting business, running offices, organising social distancing and managing supplies to needy and poor. The current lockdown is crippling Indian economy, making the state and industry coffers empty and also keeping the doors of learning institutions closed till further orders.
The educational institutions, especially private schools and colleges are, however, working overtime to adopt technology to bring online learning modules to the homes of their students. Most schools are conducting online classes, providing assignments, clearing doubts and assuring parents that students will not suffer academic loss. Schools are also continuing to pay staff salaries and raise school fee from parents albeit with various relaxations and with no late fee penalties. However, many parents are facing severe financial hardship which is further compounded by fee hikes announced by various schools. Thus, the Union Human Resource Minister, Mr. Ramesh Pokhriyal urged the private schools to reconsider their decision regarding the increase in the school fee during the academic session 20-21 and ease the fees burden by collecting it on a monthly basis during the lockdown period and directed the state education departments to come-up with a solution that works in the best interest of both the schools and the parents.
