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Parents, managements lock horns over fee Kashmir pvt schools face closure threat 11/17/2016 10:29:14 PM Early Times Report Srinagar, Nov 17: Hundreds of private schools in Kashmir are at the verge of closure due to more than 4-month long unrest in the Valley. Schools in Kashmir have been closed since July 8, 2016, and these have witnessed no class work during the past four months of halla-gulla in the Valley. These institutions have turned bankrupt due to parents not paying the fee as the prevailing uncertainty has pushed everyone to a brink. On Thursday state government announced mass promotion from Nursery to 9thclass and 11th class in Kashmir to ensure that there is no break in the academic calendar. This announcement has left the managements of private schools in a lurch. It would lead to them facing heavy financial losses. Managements of these schools were expecting that parents would clear the dues at the time of examinations. They see the announcement as an "opportunity lost." A few people have approached the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the separatists to ask the private schools to waive off the tuition and transportation fee. Paying the tuition and transport fee have become a bone of contention between the parents and the managements of these institutions. "We have not paid salaries to our staff for the past four months. The buses which schools have purchased were financed by the banks and loan installments have piled up. Many private schools run from rented buildings. If we don't take the fee from the parents we won't be able to run our institutions," an owner of a reputed private school told Early Times. He said despite all odds we ensured to provide parents with the home assignments so that they are able to teach their wards even during the turmoil. "Our liabilities have piled up during all these months and we know that no one will help us," he added. Meanwhile, parents are of the opinion that it's not the owners of the private schools only who have suffered. They argue that they have not earned a single penny during the past four months and have been at the receiving end due to private sector getting crushed amidst shutdowns and chalo calls. . "During the meeting of so-called stakeholders at Geelani's Hyderpora residence the representatives of private schools acted like yes men of separatists and told them they can carry on with the shutdown and agitation. They didn't dare to open their mouth before them and told them (separatists) they are with them. If they support the unrest then why are they asking for the fee," said a parent. An owner of a private school said, "If parents refuse to pay the fee we would be left with no other option other than to wind up our institutions and call it off a day. There has to be a middle way. We are fed up of following the diktats. We are caught between the separatists and the government." He said, "The notion that a few people who attended the so-called meeting of stakeholders at Geelani's residence were our representatives is wrong. Many of us don't recognize them."   Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network     Comment on this Story

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