‘No School – No Fees’ bandh called in Rajasthan on August 31

Jaipur: An organization representing parents of school children has proposed a complete shutdown in Rajasthan on August 31. The organization – Sayunkta Abhibhawak Samiti – is demanding that parents should not be forced to pay school fee when the schools are closed due to the COVID-19 situation. The bandh has been supported by many traders’ associations, social organizations and Karani Sena.

Sushil Sharma and Ishan Sharma – representatives of the organizations – told media persons that schools are pressuring parents to pay fee even when the schools are closed and the state government has turned a blind eye. Both claimed to have support of over 450 organisations of traders and other communities.

“This is a voluntary shutdown and we believe that it will be successful because many people lost their jobs or suffered losses in business due to the lockdown. They are not in a position to pay school fee,” said Sushil Sharma.

But the schools continue to pressurize families to pay hefty school fee despite clear instructions by the Rajasthan high court in this regard.

The schools are closed across the state due to the coronavirus spread. On Friday, 1355 new coronavirus cases were reported in the state. Of them 237 were reported in Jaipur alone.

The number of active cases have gone up to 14320, while the death toll is now 1017.