Imphal: The Manipur government on Monday announced that schools, including privately-run and aided schools, may collect admission fees without fee hikes for the session from the students. However, the authority strictly warned school owners not to collect monthly tuition school fees during the pandemic.
An order issued by education commissioner T Ranjit said that fees can be collected up to March; however, if some schools have already collected fees up to July, it should be adjusted with subsequent months.
In terms of paying salary to school staff, teaching and non-teaching, those schools with enrollment of less than 200 students, payment of 50 per cent may be made after the lockdown is over.
Schools having students’ capacity of 200 to 700 may make 50 per cent payment to the staff wherein those private schools with more than 700 students shall make full payment to their staffs, it said.
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It further said that all schools shall ensure that some teaching-learning process is conducted by the schools keeping in mind the students’ learning activity and all concerned school managements adhere to the instruction.
Those institutes with non-adherence to the guidelines may be reported to the department of education through email address manipureducation@gmail.comalong with details and proof, it said.
As per the statement, the government sought opinion from the school managements and directed the private schools and other schools charging some fees to furnish a detailed statement in a prescribed format on or before May 30.
However, as requested by the United Association of Recognised Schools of Manipur (UARSoM) convenor to allow the private schools to furnish the information after the pandemic is over or at least the quarantine centers set up at various schools are closed and sanitised, the state extended the submission date latest by June 8.
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According to officials, despite the subsequent instructions, more than 800 private schools out of 1,200 have wilfully not submitted the information to the government defying the state’s directions, it said.
Meanwhile, governor Najma Heptualla issued an order stating that online examinations or any assessment for pre-nursery to Class V are completely prohibited with immediate effect considering the sensitive nature of such young students.
While appreciating such kinds of learning activities taking place through online or remote medium during the pandemic period, the governor said.
She further said that, however, the state is of the view that such proposed conduct of online assessment or examination for students reading in such tender classes is neither correct nor acceptable an deserves to be discouraged, as its outcome will be counter-productive and will create substantial apprehension, anxiety and tension to these students as well as to their parents and guardians.
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