The Education Ministry has urged private schools to not charge fees when the schools are shut down.
Ministry Spokesperson Deepak Sharma has issued the statement pointing that the ministry's attention has been seriously drawn to the joint statement issued by school promoters on Sunday.
Private and Boarding School's Organization Nepal (PABSON) and National-PABSON (N-PABSON) issuing a joint statement on Sunday had urged guardians to pay fees even when the schools are shut down.
The country is in lockdown since March 24 due to COVID-19 lockdown. Schools were shut down a week earlier.
But the promoters have urged guardians to pay fees pointing that they are teaching through alternative arrangements even during the lockdown. The ministry statement points how the Cabinet decision about modality of lockdown on June 10 had instructed to not open schools, colleges and tuition centers for now.
The joint statement of promoters on Sunday had urged guardians to pay fees maintaining social distancing pointing that the schools are facing financial crisis. It had pointed at the fate of over 200,000 teachers and staffers in private schools and added that schools operating in rented premises are struggling to pay even the rent. It had also mentioned that the government has not provided any help to the sector.
"The ministry will hold necessary discussion and consultation with the stakeholders for rule-based resolution to the problems faced by private schools," the statement assures.
Guardians and student unions had protested after PABSON and N-PABSON urged guardians to pay fees even during the period of lockdown.
The student unions affiliated to ruling CPN and main opposition Nepali Congress both issued statements on Monday urging the guardians to not pay fees now.
