CHENNAI: Claiming that the lockdown has pushed them into severe financial strain, private school managements in the State said they are struggling to pay salaries. The managements rued that since they are allowed to charge only a portion of the fees from students, their income and expenditure are not matching.
“The salary of staff and teachers constitutes more than two-thirds of the annual expenditure of private schools. Now that we get only a part of the fees, keeping the schools afloat has become harder,” said the headmistress of a private school in Chennai.
KR Nandhakumar, a leader of the Tamil Nadu Matriculation, Higher Secondary and CBSE Schools Association said, instead of depending on parents to pay fees during the pandemic, private schools are urging the government to waive off property and vehicle taxes as school premises and buses are not being used during the lockdown.
“The government should waiver these taxes at least for the lockdown period,” he said adding that the government should also disburse dues to private schools for the seats filled under the Right to Education Act. A fourth of all entry-level seats in private schools are reserved under the Act for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. While the State and Union governments reimburse the tuition fee to respective schools every year, about `500 crore from the last two years are pending, he alleged.
Last day to apply to Law University
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University has announced that Friday is the last day to apply for the five-year programme, through both online and offline. The applications are invited for courses by School of Excellence in Law, Perungudi campus. HSC (10+2), CBSE, ISC or any other examination shall be recognised as qualifiers. Candidates applying for BCom LLB (Hons) should have studied Commerce and those for BCA LLB(Hons) should have studied Comp Science. One can download the application from www.tndalu.ac.in.