The Parents’ Association today staged a protest in Srinagar’s Press Colony, saying that the government was silent while the private schools were charging fees for the unrest months.
Parents’ Association said that why is G N Var who claims himself to be the president “Private School Association” salient about this issue. Holding placards which read “we want justice” and “fee for what?”, the parents demanded full waiver in the fee of last four months.
“On the one hand, the private schools association was claiming to support the ongoing agitation and on the other hand, it was fleecing parents by asking for fees for the months when no classes were held,” said the protesting parents.
The protesting parents said they had not earned a penny during these months, adding that the private schools want to burden them further by forcing them to pay the fees for the four months when normal life was paralysed across Kashmir.
“It is unethical and immoral. There is no logic in seeking the fee for the closed period at a time when the life has paralysed in the Valley,” Mohammad Altaf, a parent said.
The protesters appealed the Education Minister, Naeem Akhtar to personally intervene in the matter and ask these schools to stop harassing the already distressed students by asking them for fees.
Protesters expressed anguish over the Var’s remarks and also shouted slogans against him.
Private Schools Association president, G N Var told PTK that he doesn’t get bothered by such protests as he knows what kind of people are shouting against him.
“I have seen such protests. They are blackmailers and also political workers. We have almost provided 120 students free admission till now and we still say that if we do not get fee then how come the private school are going to pay their staff”, Var said.
“We have waived off 50 per cent of the transport fee for the affected period. Our Association represents 95 per cent of schools in valley so they accept every decision.
Var said that 95 percent of the schools are economy class where fee is less than Rs 1000 and only 1-2 percent of schools are major schools which have fee in excess of that”, Var added. (PTK)