Indecisive Crisis in Educational Institutions

All educational institutions in Bangladesh have been closed since March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Though online classes are is going on, several kindergartens had to be closed as they are not receiving any tuition fees.

The 'holiday' in educational institutions has been extended till October 3. The board of directors of private and MPO-affiliated educational institutions say that if the educational institutions do not open then the teachers will face a big crisis. Many educational institutions may shut down. However, parents have complained that educational institutions are inhumanely charging tuition fees. It is alleged that they want to open educational institutes amid this pandemic just to collect tuition fees.

According to the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association, 20 kindergartens have been closed so far. Those schools will not be started anymore. About 100 more schools are on the line to be closed. These institutions are privately managed and the only source of income is tuition fees. It was not possible to collect fees from the students in Corona. As a result, they could not pay the teachers. The school authorities could not pay the rent of the rented houses. As a result, the school had to be closed permanently. Mizanur Rahman, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association, said, "I don't see the possibility of getting this tuition fee anymore. Because many have lost their jobs and moved to the village with their families. Now if auto-promotion is given, then no one seems to pay school fees. Parents will take their children to other schools and enroll them."

Mizanur Rahman's own educational institution is called Rose Garden High School. It is in Jatrabari area. That school is in his own house. That is why he has not closed the school yet, he said. But he is not able to pay the teachers

On the other hand, parents of English medium schools with MPO and high tuition fees are agitating for the reduction of tuition fees. Their words- tuition fee should be taken half at this time. But the school authorities are not abiding by it. There have even been allegations of online classes being shut down for non-payment of salaries and students being expelled from school.

Parents of Dhaka's Mastermind School held a press conference on Monday. They have complained that students are not being added to the online class due to arrears of tuition fees. Not only that, if the students do not pay the tuition fee for two months by September 24, the online admission will be stopped and the students have been given the notice to remove their names from the register.

Journalist Syed Ishtiaq Reza, who appeared for the parents at the press conference, said, "A writ petition has also been filed in the High Court. He has been asked to give time for 14 days. The school authorities are not complying with that either. "Despite trying to contact the Mastermind school authorities, no one was found.

The child of a parent named Jamiul Ahsan who went to YWCA school said, "We can't pay the children's tuition fees for Corona. But we are called for it almost every day. We are working to halve tuition fees."

However, the Ministry of Education is not giving any specific decision regarding tuition fees. As a result, the situation is becoming more complicated. Ziaul Kabir Dulu, president of the Parents Unity Forum, said the ministry had asked both parties to behave humanely in response to the parents' plea. "All sides are affected by the Corona," he said. So we expect a logical decision from the ministry on tuition fees."

Director-General of the Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Professor Syed Golam Farooq said, "As far as I know, there is not much problem with tuition fees in Bangla medium schools." But there are problems with some English medium schools. "

"However, no student, be it English or Bengali, can be barred from online classes due to non-payment of tuition fees. Their admission cannot be canceled," he said.

"School authorities and parents have been instructed to work out a joint solution to the problem of salaries," he said. They have been asked to see the case. The Ministry of Education will not take any further action in this regard. "