Will Decide On Academic Year In 2 Days: Government To HC

The Telangana government today told the High Court that it would take a call on the commencement of the academic year for the schools of the state within the next two days.

It also said that the cabinet had decided to commence the academic year through online and distance modes of instruction keeping in view the Covid-19 pandemic.

This prompted the High Court to cite the submissions of the CBSE and the ICSE boards about the commencement of their academic years in March of this year, and ask the state government if the decision taken by it (the state government) would apply to only the schools that came under the purview of the education department of the state.

Referring to the reports of some schools conducting online classes for very long hours for even fifth standard students, the court wondered how the students of fifth standard could sit for such long hours, and expressed concern that such practices could have a terrible impact on the mental health of the children.

Responding to this, the state government told the court that it would also frame guidelines to be followed by the private schools of the state.

The counsel for the petitioner also told the court that many private schools were forcing the parents of their students to pay hefty fees despite no normal classes or teaching. Reacting to this, the HC said that it could not pass any orders on the issue at this juncture as the case was still being heard, but that it would pass orders asking the private schools to return the fee amounts.