Private schools in Mizoram willcharge only 50 per cent fees from students for the lockdown period, an official said on Tuesday.The decision was taken at a meeting attended by officials of the education department, students' bodies, Mizoram Independent School Association (MISA), and other stakeholders, he said.The decision follows several appeals by students' bodies for exemption from paying school fees during the lockdown.All private and mission schools run by churches were also asked to exempt poor students from paying fees, the official said.It was also decided that those schools which have already charged full fees for April would not charge for May, he said.Education Minister Lalchhandama Ralte, who chaired the meeting, urged all private school owners to understand the problems faced by students and their guardians due to the unprecedented crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak.MISA, an umbrella body of all private schools in the state, earlier said it would charge full fees from the students during the lockdown, citing that they have to pay their employees.It drew flak from the students' bodies such as Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and Mizo Students Union (MSU), which said that many students especially those coming from the economically weaker section will be inconvenienced if full fees are charged.The new academic session (2020-21) was scheduled to begin on April 1, as per the school calendar.
