Private schools can only charge tuition fees, says govt

In a major relief to parents of students, the government has asked the non-government educational institutions in the country not to levy any charges other than collecting tuition fees during the coronavirus pandemic.

The institutions will not be allowed to take assignment, tiffin, readmission, library, and science laboratory and development fees. 

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education issued a circular to this effect on Wednesday. 

Institutions have also been asked to adjust the charged fees with the next tuition fees. 

The notification came at a time when the private schools and colleges were collecting all kinds of fees from the students, in protest of which guardians and students staged demonstrations in different parts of the country.  

The education directorate in its Wednesday's notice also requested the educational institutions to consider the tuition fees if any guardian is unable to pay this. At the same time, it asked the guardians to consider the educational institutions' operational costs. 

The schools can charge all kinds of fees after the Covid-19 situation normalises, it says. 

Some schools could not connect their students to online academic activities properly, but most of them did it very well, it reads. 

Professor Emeritus of Brac University Manzoor Ahmed told The Business Standard that the government initiative to fix the fees is praiseworthy. "The guardians now can get relieved from the tension of paying huge fees," he added.

On March 16, the Ministry of Education issued a press release announcing the government's decision to close all educational institutions and coaching centres from March 18 to March 31, taking into consideration students' safety amid the pandemic.

Classes have remained suspended since then, although administrative activities gradually resumed.

The Ministry has extended the closure on several occasions – first till 9 April, then 25 April, 5 May, 30 May, 6 August, 31 August, 3 October, 31 October and finally until 19 December.