Gujarat Government directs private schools to reduce fee by 25 per cent for Academic Year 2020-21

Gujarat Government has decided to implement 25 per cent fee cut and we are glad that schools have now agreed to it, the Gujarat Education Minister said.

The Gujarat government has directed all the private schools in the state to cut 25 per cent of annual school fees, in relief to parents of school-going hit by economic slowdown caused due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown. Gujarat Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said that the school owners have agreed to collect the 25 per cent less students during the current academic year.

The decision to give relief to parents of school-going children was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, said Chudasama after the meet. The decision is applicable to all the schools that affiliated with various boards, including the CBSE and International Boards, he said.

Those parents who have already paid the entire year's fees will get the refund after adjusting 25 per cent cut, the minister said. 

In another relief, Chudasama said since schools are not functioning physically due to the pandemic, they can not collect charges related to transport, library, computer and sports activities.

"Earlier, school owners were ready to accept only 10 per cent fee cut, while the government was insisting on 25 per cent reduction. Now, we have decided to implement 25 per cent fee cut and we are glad that schools have now agreed to it," said Chudasama.

Last month, the Gujarat High Court had refused to intervene in the matter and asked the government to decide on school fee reduction.

While disposing of an application seeking the court's intervention on the fee issue, the HC had said the government can take an "independent decision" under the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Diseases Act, which are in force in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In August, the high court had quashed a government order which prohibited private schools from collecting tuition fees until they reopened.

The court had also asked the government to sit with representatives of private schools and find an amicable solution to the fee issue.

But the government approached the HC earlier this month, saying no solution was found as the apex school association was not ready to cut tuition fee by 25 per cent as proposed by the state, so the court should issue necessary directions.

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