Cuttack: The Orissa High Court Tuesday barred private schools from collecting fees in a forcible manner in the prevailing situation.
A division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Bishwanath Rath pronounced the order while hearing a case seeking waiver of fees by private schools in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
The HC order on the school fee will be in force till the next hearing on the case, scheduled for January 7, 2021.
Bibhuti Bhusan Choudhury, counsel for the private school guardians’ association, informed the HC that some private schools were forcing parents to pay the schools fees. These schools were also preventing students from availing online classes and writing exams over non-payment of fees.
The HC bench once again asked the state government to submit its reply on the issue.
It is worth mentioning here that the state government had earlier submitted an affidavit on the case. In the affidavit, the state government made it clear that it has no control over private schools. But, the MoU between the stakeholders has provision for reduction of fees within the range of 5 to 30 per cent, said the affidavit.