At least two city schools, South Point and South City International, have told parents that the fee hike it had announced for the 2020-21 session will not be implemented immediately.
South Point School has also told parents that for April and May it would charge a sum that is less than what the school fees would have been this time of the year.
A Class V student, for example, will have to pay Rs 10,000 instead of Rs 17,646 for April and May. A student of Class XII will have to pay Rs 7,500 instead of Rs 15,400.
The state government on Friday wrote to private schools asking them not to increase their fees this year and to consider “sympathetically” if guardians were unable to pay fees on time.
“South Point School has decided that the fee structure proposed by the school for the ensuing academic year 2020-21 shall presently be held in abeyance. Collection of various components of fee and other charges, including for text and exercise books, uniforms, bus fees, activity and other optional fees etc that are usually collected in the month of April, is also being deferred for the time being till the school reopens,” the school said.
The school has also said that the guardians who would not be able to pay the April fee in time because of “economic hardships” will be allowed time at least till May 15 to make the payment.
South City International School principal John Bagul wrote to parents on Saturday: “As per the state government request, the fee structure remains the same as last year till further notice. Kindly note that those who paid the new fee structure would be adjusted in the next quarter. No change or increase in fee structure at present.”
Before the government’s letter came, National High School had announced some relief for parents on April 3. The school waived 50 per cent of the tuition fee for April.
Bhavan’s Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir, too, has decided to charge only a portion of the enhanced fee for now.