Pvt schools in Mizoram to charge only 50pc fees during lockdown

Aizawl, May 5 () Private schools in Mizoram willcharge only 50 per cent fees from students for the lockdownperiod, an official said on Tuesday.

The decision was taken at a meeting attended byofficials of the education department, students' bodies,Mizoram Independent School Association (MISA), and otherstakeholders, he said.

The decision follows several appeals by students'bodies for exemption from paying school fees during thelockdown.

All private and mission schools run by churches werealso asked to exempt poor students from paying fees, theofficial said.

It was also decided that those schools which havealready charged full fees for April would not charge for May,he said.

Education Minister Lalchhandama Ralte, who chaired themeeting, urged all private school owners to understand theproblems faced by students and their guardians due to theunprecedented crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

MISA, an umbrella body of all private schools in thestate, earlier said it would charge full fees from thestudents during the lockdown, citing that they have to paytheir employees.

It drew flak from the students' bodies such as MizoZirlai Pawl (MZP) and Mizo Students Union (MSU), which saidthat many students especially those coming from theeconomically weaker section will be inconvenienced if fullfees are charged.

The new academic session (2020-21) was scheduled tobegin on April 1, as per the school calendar. CORRSOM SOM