Bengaluru: The State Government has ordered all Private Schools, be it Central or State syllabi, to reduce tuition fees for the current academic year by 30 percent in view of COVID-19 pandemic. The Schools have been strictly told not to collect development fees or other fees apart from tuition fee.

With this, the Government has ended the tug of fight between parents and the Private School Management over the fees. The Parents Association had threatened to hold agitation accusing the Government of not protecting the interest of parents due to pandemic. This had forced the Government to do the balancing act with both the warring faction stuck to their stand.

Addressing a news conference here yesterday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar said if parents have already paid the full fees, then the School Managements would have to adjust the amount in the fee paid for the next academic year.

Advisory passed

On Jan. 5, Associated Management of Primary and Secondary School (KAMS) had passed an advisory calling for reduction in School fees by its member Schools. It had suggested that Schools whose fee structure is more than Rs. 25,000 per annum can reduce 20 to 25 percent. For Schools which have fees less than Rs. 25,000  but more than Rs. 15,000 a year, it had advocated that special development fees be relaxed for the current School year. Further, for Schools whose annual fee is less than Rs. 15,000, they can reduce their term fee to a maximum of 10 percent of their whole tuition fee.