CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Friday issued notice to the State Government seeking reply on exemption of tuition fees by private schools during the lockdown period and fixed May 1 for further hearing on the issue.
The division bench of Justice BR Sarangi and Justice SK Panigrahi fixed the date in response to a letter petition filed by a Sambalpur-based lawyer Mohammad Mustaq Ansari.
The petition has sought direction to the Government in issuing orders to private schools not to collect tuition fees from March to June or until actual commencement of classes.
The petitioner also expected that the Government to provide sufficient funds to private, aided and unaided schools that are not able to pay salaries to their teaching and non-teaching staff.
The State Government had earlier advised all private educational institutions to consider reduction/deferment of school fees in view of the lockdown.
On April 10, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) had tweeted that, “In view of the lockdown and associated economic stress for Covid-19, Odisha Government advises all private educational institutions to be sympathetic to consider reduction/deferment of school fees from April to June. This will help the parents whose income has been adversely affected.”