Meghalaya organisation demands waiver of school fees

Newmai News Network
Shillong, May 7: With educational institutions in Meghalaya remaining closed amidst the lockdown on account of Covid-19, a group of prominent personalities of the state has demanded that the State Government issues instructions for the waiver of school fees.
In a letter to Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma on Thursday, this group calling itself ‘Ka Sur U Paidbah ka Bri u Hynniewtrep’ which is led by former Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, H S Shylla said that this should include both Government and private schools in the State.
Pointing out that private school teachers who are working in non-aided schools solely depend on school fees for their salaries, Shylla said, “In this critical period schools have been closed and fees exempted, hence the managements are not able to pay the salaries to the teachers and staffs respectively putting them in great hardships, therefore we urge the Government to provide financial assistance or any scheme to meet their basic needs.”
It also asked the State Government to issue instructions prohibiting landlords from forcing their tenants to pay house rent. In this regard, Shylla said that some tenants such as daily wage earners are unable to pay their rent at the moment as the lockdown has left them with no means of earning a livelihood.
The group has also asked the State Government to arrange a special assistance scheme for non-beneficiaries of NFSA, Non-NFSA as well as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and to conduct a special survey by an appropriate authority in this matter.
Turning its attention to the farmers of the State, the group said that those farmers who are dependent on the cultivation and sale of betel nut and betel leaf especially in the border areas of the State are in distress as they are unable to transport their products outside the State. As such, the group has asked the State Government to also look into this issue.
On the issue of the people of Meghalaya being stranded in other parts of the country, the group said that the State Government should expedite their return as some of them are facing great hardship.
The group also suggested that the State Government pays strict vigilance in the border haats while claiming that there are outsiders entering the state through the jungles at odd hours to conduct illegal business transactions especially along the Indo-Bangla Border.