Appeal by Federation of Private Schools Welfare Association to reconsider govt’s decision to close down schools until April 30 

Chandigarh: The Government of Haryana has issued instructions to close private schools until 30 April, and the School Education Department has issued a strong action order along with letters against private schools that violate the government's order.

The admission process has started in Haryana, and private schools have been closed for almost a year. During the last few months, the government opened the schools for some time due to the low impact of COVID-19. But the cases have started rising once again, so the government has declared holidays in schools till 30 April.

Addressing a press conference here today, the President of NISA and Federation of Private Schools Welfare Association, Dr Kulbhushan Sharma said that the situation of COVID-19 in Haryana is not so terrible for schools to be closed down. If the parents agree to send their children to schools, then the government should not have any problem in opening schools with the their consent since most of the parents are, in fact, in favour of opening the schools. Even the parents are saying that if the Federation raises voice in their interest to open the schools, then along with the Federation, the parents are also ready to go to jail.

The parents said that when the entire state is open, there are no restrictions on the running of trains, buses, and other means of transport, and cricket matches and political rallies, etc. are being organised, then why are schools being closed?  The students can be protected from the outbreak of COVID-19 by issuing proper guidelines for the schools. Along with this, the government should continue the work of education in schools by making standards for offline or online education so that students can have physical, emotional, and mental development. Parents said that the nature of children has become irritable and obstinate due to schools being closed down.

The Federation is requesting the government to return the pledge money to the schools to deal with the financial crisis caused by the pandemic so that the school can pay salaries to its teachers and other staff. Also, a guideline shall be issued to the Transport Department to provide some relief by extending the life-cycle of school buses that did not run for the last two years and announce an unemployment allowance of ₹3,000 to the unemployed drivers of school by till the pandemic is curbed. Like the Government of Telangana, a relief package of ₹2,000 and 25 kg rice should also be issued for the teaching and non-teaching staff of private schools in Haryana. Also, for the parents whose annual income is less than ₹2.50 lakh, the government should relieve them by making a policy by which the parents can pay the school's fees.

Other members of the Federation of Private Schools Welfare Association, General Secretary Baldev Saini, Varun Jain were also present on the occasion.