News Desk: All Assam Private Schools Association claimed that the order passed by the Assam Education Department or 25 percent ‘waiver’ on school fees is not based on any law.
Principal secretary (Elementary & Secondary) had issued an order, asking the private schools to waive 25 percent of their monthly fees. The order had mentioned that the private schools are saving substantial expenditures, including energy costs and fuel costs due to closure since March 16.
Pankaj Das, president of AAPSAA, said, “There is no mention in the order under what law a waiver of 25 percent of fees has been demanded”.
He added that the state government is not the master of the citizens, and cannot decide on any fee waivers.
“It has to govern under the law of the land. And laws must conform to the constitution. As the order is not based on any law this is against the constitution,” Das said.
Das said that the FRC, in turn, would need to look at the accounts of the schools to understand the ground reality to come up with the appropriate decision.
“But that is not entirely true. The government employees, bank employees, and others are getting their salary regularly. Therefore, a blanket waiver for everybody does not make sense,” Das said.
The schools have already been ordered for a 50 percent fee waiver for the month of April. In the month of April, the private schools paid full salaries to the teaching and non-teaching staff.