All modes of teaching and school-related activities in hill districts will be suspended for five days beginning September 17, the Hill Districts Private Schools' Association (HiDiPSAM) announced Wednesday. The association Wednesday said they were compelled to take the decision following the state education department’s failure to review its June 20 order regarding imposing restrictions on schools, including aided schools, in the state from collection of tuition fee and payment of salaries to teachers. It is learnt that around 300 private schools in hill districts are affiliated to HiDiPSAM. Schools with an enrolment rate of less than 200 students have been asked to waive students’ tuition fee and pay 50 per cent salaries to teaching and non-teaching staff. The same shall be applicable to schools with student enrolments between 200 and 7,000. For schools having enrolments over 700, the department’s order stipulates not only waiver of students’ tuition fee but also 100 per cent payment of salaries to teaching and non-teaching. Richard L. Haokip, president, HiDiPSAM, said: “Our association is compelled to take up this agitation as the education department has failed to review the orders after repeated requests and appeals”. Earlier this month, the association had pointed out that the teachers who are engaged in the online teaching-learning process are not able to make their ends meet as private schools are barred from collecting tuition fees to pay the salary of the teachers. Haokip said if the department fails to review or revoke its June 20 order by September 2, the association will be compelled to take further action to ensure that the interests of parents, teachers and students are safeguarded.. He appealed to the parents, students and civil society organisations to cooperate with the association’s struggle and understand the difficult situation that the private schools have been forced into by the government.
