New Delhi, 2nd July 2021: The Delhi government has ordered all private schools to cut school fees by 15 percent. The Directorate of Education, Government of Delhi, issued an order on Thursday, July 2nd, to reduce the annual school fees by 15 percent to private and non-financial aided schools given the unutilized facilities during the academic year 2020-21. In its order, the Directorate of Education of Delhi has also ordered the private schools to return the fees from June 10, in six equal monthly installments if the fees have already been taken.

Don’t discriminate among students

Along with this, the directorate has asked private schools in Delhi not to discriminate between students for non-traditional teaching i.e. online education, study material, and classes due to the pandemic, and provide password and ID for all students so that they can attend the school.  As per the notice of the directorate, “Head of Schools shall, in no case, deny ID and password for obtaining online access of educational facilities/classes/materials, etc. to such students/parents who are facing financial distress due to loss of  business activities and ongoing lockdown as a result to COVID-19, are unable to pay school fees during the lockdown or due to the death of the sole bread owner of the family, or death of the child’s parent.”

Instructions have been issued by the Directorate to private unaided schools to not impose an additional financial burden by making them pay the new head of fees for the academic session 2020-21. The Directorate has asked the schools to consider this “compassionately” and on a “case to case” basis while seeking concessions for students affected by COVID-19.