NGO writes to NHRC on education fee waiver

An NGO and a law student have written to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking its intervention in the matter of collection of school and college fees by educational institutions. The complainants have sought reduction in fees and also facility to do the payment in installments considering the financial condition of parents due to Coronavirus pandemic.

Ashish Rai, a law student, and Dr Yogesh Dube, president of Bhartiya Vikas Sansthan, an NGO, in their letter to the chairperson of the NHRC have demanded concession for the students of Maharashtra in education fee charged by school and college management.

The letter stated that no schools or colleges have decided yet to reduce the fees. The students are being taught online which would save a big amount of the educational institutions and their recurring expenditure would also be reduced up to sixty per cent, the letter read.

It further stated that lakhs of people have lost their livelihood making it difficult for parents to pay the fees. The current pandemic has brought health as well as financial issues and hence there is a severe need of the government to step in and provide relief to the parents by issuing some guidelines regarding payment of education fees.

"Special financial assistance should be provided by the government to all students studying in the state of Maharashtra presently, which could reduce the educational fee of the needy students for the year 2020-21,” read the letter.
It has also suggested that the interest on the education loan should be waived off completely.