JAGATSINGHPUR: Parents and guardians under the banner of Odisha Parents’ Federation on Friday staged dharna in front of the Collector’s office seeking the State Government’s intervention in regulation of fees of unaided private schools in Odisha. They submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik through the Collector and demanded an ordinance in this regard, which they claimed would protect the interests of around 15 lakh families and students.
The CM had asked private educational institutions to consider reducing or waiving fees from April to June. Even the High Court (HC) in an interim order had asked private schools not to deprive students of online learning classes if fees are not paid by May 12. The order had followed after parents had approached the HC in April over warnings to remove students given by some schools in Rourkela, Keonjhar and Bhubaneswar.
But there are reports that schools are not relenting and threatening to remove students over inability to pay fees. Sources said parents have also registered cases in different police stations and submitted written complaints before district education officers and block education officers across the State, but to no avail.