Parents upset over HC order allowing Punjab schools to collect tuition fee during lockdown

Ludhiana (Punjab) [India], July 2 : Several parents are upset with the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court allowing private schools in Punjab to charge fee from students for the coronavirus-induced lockdown period.
"This order is shocking. The high court has allowed the schools the charge the entire fee. The interim order was to pay 75 per cent of the fee amount. We were hopeful that after hearing the parents out, the court will grant us some relief," Gurukaran, one of the petitioners said.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on Tuesday allowed private schools in Punjab to collect tuition fee during the lockdown irrespective of whether schools offered online classes.
Speaking to ANI, Gurukaran said, "We will approach the Supreme Court if we have to. High Court has said that the fee to be submitted will be determined by the fee committee, which comes under the Punjab government. We hope to get some relief from there."
Arjun Chabbra, a father, said that the state government should have taken some initiative on the matter to prevent it from going to court in the first place.
"Schools have a lot of money that is how they are running these big schools. Parents, on the other hand, are facing financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several businesses have been affected. Even employed people are facing pay cuts. How will they be able to pay fee?" Chabbra said.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had also announced that the state government will appeal against the High Court ruling, allowing private schools to charge fee from students for the lockdown period.