Port Blair, May 10: The Department of Education, A & N Administration has endeavoured to provide educational support to the students through digital platform during lockdown period through Doordharshan Kendra, Port Blair, Local Cable TV Networks and All India Radio, Port Blair as an alternative to formal teaching-learning across Islands. In remote areas where network facilities are not available, educational contents are being provided to the students at their doorsteps through CD and pen-drive. The Department of Education has also made elaborate arrangement to deliver free text books to the eligible students at their doorsteps for the new academic session.
In the meantime it has been communicated to the Department by some students, parents, teaching/nonteaching staff and public representatives that some private unaided schools are not supporting the students to maintain their continuity in educational activities during the lockdown. Parents working in private sectors have informed that they are unable to pay the fee on quarterly basis due to closure of business activities. Similarly teaching and non- teaching staff have also highlighted their grievances and financial crisis due to non payment of salary by the school management.
Taking into consideration of all the grievances being faced by students, parents and staff of private unaided schools during the lockdown period, the Department of Education has issued an order, under relevant rule provisions, to all private unaided schools functioning in A & N Islands, to protect the interest of students, parents and staff.
It is for information of the general public, as per the order, that the private unaided schools in A & N Islands:
• Shall charge no fee, except tuition fee, from the parents/students till further order.
• Heads of schools / Managers shall not demand and collect the tuition fee from the parents / students on quarterly basis. The fee shall be collected on monthly basis only.
• Not to increase any fee in the academic session 2020-2021 till further directions.
• Shall ensure to provide the access of digital education facilities / materials / classes to all the students, without any discrimination.
• Heads of the schools shall, in no case, deny digital education facilities /materials / classes to those students who are unable to pay the school fee due to financial crisis arising out of closure of business activities in the ongoing lockdown condition
• Managing Committee of the school / Heads of Schools shall not put extra financial burden by creating any new head of fee.
• Shall neither stop payment of monthly salary nor reduce the existing total emoluments to teaching and non-teaching staff of their schools in the name of non-availability of funds and arrange the funds in case of any shortfalls from the Society / Trust running the school.
All the private unaided schools of A & N Islands are directed to adhere to the instruction of this order. Further, it is informed to the general public that failure to adherence to the instruction of this order by private unaided schools can invite action against them under Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 51(b) of Disaster Management Act, 2005.
