Asking parents to deposit school fee during lockdown unjust: AAP

Tribune News Service

Patiala, May 24

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today held a protest outside the residence of the Education Minister over the issue of school fee, here. Party leaders, along with parents, staged a sit-in outside the minister’s residence for hours.

The AAP said parents were already financially affected due to the lockdown. Therefore, asking them to deposit fee during these tough times was unjust.

Tejinder Mehta, district president of AAP, said there was no source of income for parents during the lockdown. So, private schools should not compel them to deposit fee.

He said: “The government should use Covid fund to help parents in the difficult times and waive school fee. If they don’t know how to help parents, they can learn from Delhi.”

The party said the government should aggressively put forward the financial constraints of parents in the High Court. Notably, the High Court has allowed private schools to collect 70 per cent fee.

The Sub-Divisional Magistrate reached the spot and tried to pacify the protesters. The SDM arranged a video call of the protesters with the Education Minister.

The minster assured the protesters that the government would knock at the court’s door to provide relief to the parents.

The AAP leaders submitted a memorandum to the SDM and called off their protest.