Bengaluru: Private Schools Association of Karnataka has said that private institutions in the state are going through a severe financial crunch. Few of them are even contemplating shutting down due to non-payment of students’ fees.
“Teachers are doing their best for online classes but we are unable to pay them a minimum salary. There’s no support from the government. Over 60 per cent of parents with their children in budget schools have not paid fees of their children. There are over 20,000 schools in the state and out of that around 18,000 are budget private schools that depend on the monthly fee,” the Associations’ president Shashi Kumar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Karnataka’s private schools are closed till December. The government took a call regarding this a few days back following the technical advisory committee’s recommendation.
“Experts have opined that we shouldn’t take any decision till December end. We will meet again and take an appropriate decision at the time, with regard to the situation. We shouldn’t start SSLC (Class 10) and PUC until then,” Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa was earlier quoted as saying.
Karnataka reported as many as 1,330 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, taking the state’s tally to 8,86,227.