As teachers and parents spar over fee cut, Karnataka govt in a bind

Bengaluru’s Freedom Park resonated with feelings of discontentment and rage on Tuesday. Thousands of teachers, non-teaching staff and management members of private schools, armed with placards in Kannada and English, marched towards the park to display their displeasure and demanded that the steep 30% reduction of school fees ordered by the State Primary and Secondary Education Department should be withdrawn.  Their words on their plight were laced with bitterness yet they held onto the hope that their protest would yield a positive result.

Under the umbrella of Karnataka Private Unaided School Managements, Teaching and Non-teaching Staff Coordination Committee (KMPTCC), thousands of teachers, non-teaching staff and management members started their protest from the City Railway Station in Majestic around 10 am. 

Expressing their grief, Jason Pinto, a school teacher from DAV Public School in Mysuru said, “The schools have not been paying us adequate salaries since the onset of the pandemic because many parents had not paid the dues. The government has also announced that it is not mandatory for parents who can’t afford to pay the fees and then the 30 per cent fee cut order arrived. Many teachers like me, who were receiving as much as Rs 15,000, are now receiving not more than Rs 7,000. Where will the school get money for maintenance and our salaries if fees are cut by 30%?” he asked.

The teachers believe that the government is only paying heeds to the plight of parents; and ignoring the plight of teachers and schools. Many school associations say that with the steep fee cut, they won’t be able to continue paying their staff; the government’s decision is “unscientific”, they argued.

Meanwhile, parents are alleging that this protest is part of a pressure tactic by private schools to coerce the government into revoking the order.

“On January 15, during a private meeting, the school associations themselves recommended the 30 per cent fee cut and are now going backing on their word. The order by the government is very lopsided, despite not being very happy, we parents accepted the order. We won’t sit still if the government makes even slight changes in the present order,” said BN Yoganand, Member of parents’ association called Right to Education Wards.

He added that many schools claimed to have laid off as much as 50 per cent of staff and have cut the salaries of those working by half. He questioned how school managements were still unable to manage their finances.

“Multiple private schools in Bengaluru have been hoodwinking parents by not implementing the government order asking for only 70% of fees to be collected. Some have refused to abide by it saying they don’t come under the ambit of the government; hence the rules are not applicable to them. Let the minister call thousands of meetings but we won’t back down, we will fight for the 30 per cent fee cut regulation. We will also hit the streets and will do so with our children,” Yoganand added.

Government stuck in between

The private schools’ associations and the parents have been at loggerheads since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic over the payment of fees and the government is stuck between the two.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Suresh Kumar, who came to Freedom Park to address teachers, said that he understands the plight of the schools and also of the parents. There was an uproar among the teachers present, as they made their indignation evident, snarling and interrupting his speech multiple times.

Despite the clamour, Suresh Kumar maintained his calm and assured those present that he would try to resolve their issues. “I have made repeated efforts to get teachers some respite while catering to the needs of parents, but all my attempts failed. I understand your situation and even parents’ situation. I assure you that relief will be soon provided. Within the next couple of weeks, I will call for a meeting of delegations of school associations and parents’ associations for talks and arrive at a middle ground. I will also look into other demands and try to ease the hardships faced by the schools, teachers and other staff members,” said the Minister.

The protest ended with the Minister and the heads of various school associations exchanging a memorandum in which the minister gave in writing that he will try resolving the issues.