Drought looms over Amravati farmers as private schools press parents for fees

A break in the rains has raised farmers' worries about yields of this year's kharif crops. As the shadow of drought deepens, the cost of children's school fees is also becoming a headache for farming families.

Complaints have emerged in Amravati district that some private schools in Anjangaon Surji and Daryapur talukas are repeatedly pursuing parents for fees. Farmer-parents already in financial difficulty are being put in a bind.

The gap in the rains is likely to affect crop growth. Rising cultivation costs, loan repayments, household expenses and education costs have also left farming families with a major challenge in managing their finances. Parents who depend on farm income say they find it hard to pay fees on time.

Parents said that some private schools in the talukas are telling students to pay pending or current fees. There are also complaints that some parents are being phoned and asked about payment.

School finances and fee recovery are a separate matter, it is true. Even so, given the present economic conditions in rural areas, there is a demand that parents in difficulty be given some relief.

Parents expect school managements to consider whether the deadline for paying fees can be extended, or whether fees can be paid in instalments. They also say students should not face any kind of mental pressure because fees are pending.

Parents say that if school managements take a sensitive approach, keeping in mind farming families' finances and the uncertainty of the kharif season, the financial crisis will not affect students' education.

Since some parents have complained, the cases need to be verified objectively. Without making blanket allegations against all private schools, the views of parents at the schools complained about, the schools' side and the applicable government rules are being examined. The demand has been raised that the Collector and the education officer look into the matter.