In the previous High Court hearing regarding school fees, West Bengal schools were allowed to collect 80 percent of fees that were pending up to August 15 and in case any one failed to pay the fees, schools were also allowed to debar those students from online classes.

In yesterday’s hearing, HC not only again repeated that order but also warned the parent association from going to social media and told them they were publicity hungry. The petitioners had not even bothered to serve notice to the respondent schools for which the court expressed its dismay with petitioner and ordered them to do so before the next date of hearing on August 17, 2020.

The schools informed the high court that though the court has given permission to debar students for non payment till August 15, the schools will not exercise this right in the interest of education of students as there is only a two day gap between August 15 and 17, which is the next day of the hearing. The petitioner has been clearly warned by the the court to avoid social media.

Earlier, there’s been a discord between the state schools and parents over the payment of fees as several educational institutions asked parents to provide for bank statements, salary certificates and payslips as proof of financial stress before considering reduction in fees.

A section of parents have objected to the move stating that if schools want to scrutinize their financial documents, they must also make their books of accounts available for parents to check out their reserves and expenses, both before and after the lockdown.

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