Various student unions have taken serious exception to the decision of private schools to charge tuition fee for the Nepali month of Baisakh and warned of stern protest if the decision is not withdrawn.

Eleven students unions affiliated to ruling and opposition parties have issued a three-day ultimatum asking private schools operators to roll back the decision.

The student unions claim that it is injustice to charge fee for the month when schools were shut due to the April 25 earthquake.

A meeting of the unions on Saturday concluded that the private schools are adding to the troubles of general public by imposing the fee.

“We will be compelled to stage stern protest if the decision regarding school fee is not withdrawn in three days,” the unions said in a joint statement.

All private and public schools in the 14 quake-hit districts, which were closed for more than a month, resumed their classes on May 31.

The umbrella bodies of private and institutional schools, however, have been claiming that it is not possible for them to pay their teachers and manage administrative costs without charging tuition fee. The Private and Boarding Schools Organisation Nepal (Pabson) and N-Pabson have said the hostel and transportation fees for the month will not been charged.

“The private schools too have suffered a huge loss in the disaster. They are not in a position to sustain without charging fee,” said Lachhe Bahadur KC, Pabson chairman.

source: the kathmandu post,8 june 2015