Parents Term Charging Extra Money By Private Schools During COVID As Unjustified

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jan, 2021 ) :Parents of the students studying in different private educational institutions have expressed strong reservations over charging huge amounts in the name of annual resource charges besides tuition fee during the closure of the institutions amid COVID-19 lockdown.

It were parents who suffered the most during the closure of educational institutions in wake of pandemic and compelled to cope with the multiple challenges while adapting to the digital mode of education including poor internet connectivity, costly internet packages, buying expensive gadgets and time management issues.

"Throughout the first and second wave of COVID-19, my son in his early years of education studied through online class. It was not easy for him to grasp the lessons taught online but we paid full fee without arguing with the school management", a parent whose child is studying at SLS Montessori and High School in capital said.

However, now the school administration is forcing the parents to pay the annual charges (collected twice in a year) which is unjustified when the students have not physically attended the school and utilized any stationary and facilities.

"A group of 300 parents, including me, went to the school to submit an application to the head of the institution to highlight our grievances but no one allowed us to enter even the boundary of the school", the parent lamented while talking to APP.

Another parent of a child studying in the same school said "The teachers used to give only instructions to the students through online teaching but we as parents had to attend all the classes with our children to guide them and help them complete their online class work and other tasks as well as their home work which is time consuming process when both the parents are working".

"The online classes are not less than any nightmare for us as I have to reach at my office early in the morning and my husband had to manage class of my son along with responding to the needs of my other one year child", the parent said.

In such circumstances, charging money in the name of annual charges is totally unjustified, the parent said while asking the authorities concerned to take action against such institutions which are exploiting the parents, the parent said.

Another working woman said, "I take my children to my office daily and have to manage their online class during my office hours despite many warnings from my superiors which causes disturbance to my other colleagues." She said, instead of paying internet charges to the parents from the fee, the school administrations are minting money in the pretext of resource charges which is unacceptable.

She said the prevailing price hike situation and insufficient salaries has already made it difficult to meet our living expenses. Only a few schools have offered COVID relief package which is an example for others to follow.

A father of three children said, "Our expenses have been doubled due to the online classes as I bought three gadgets for my three school going children so that they can attend their classes in a comfortable manner".

He said, "We pay heavy amounts as school fees and there is no relief or discount from the school's administration. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) should at least direct the mobile companies to provide discounted internet packages during the online classes timing to reduce burden on parents".