Government 'indecisive' and 'insensitive' to 1.5 crore students in Gujarat: No discussion on fee reduction

•  The question of reduction of fees was not discussed in the Legislative Assembly due to expiration of the time limit for short term question: Education Minister
•  Parents question whether Rupani government is afraid of private school administrators over fee waiver despite High Court decision. 

The state government cannot take any decision despite the High Court's directive to provide fee relief to the parents of about 1.5 crore students studying in private schools in Gujarat. The issue was to be debated in the Assembly today, but the government is using the excuse that the time limit has expired by hiding behind a loophole in the matter in a manner that is routinely feared by private school administrators. Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama on Thursday evening issued a statement saying that the issue of short-term reduction in fees in private schools could not be discussed in the House as per the instructions of the Speaker as the question period was coming to an end.

Behind the indecision on the fee issue is responsible for the fear of stuffing one's throat

 Congress MLA Imran Khedawala had raised the issue of short-term reduction in fees in private schools for discussion in the House. However, in the evening, the Education Minister, citing the name of the chairperson, stated that the question could not be taken up as per the instructions of the chairperson as the time limit for short-term question had expired. The opposition Congress alleges that the government does not really want to take any decision on the issue itself because the fear of private school administrators haunts the government. The government had tried to take the matter to the High Court but failed to do so and now the government is trying to evade its responsibility in a Yanken-like manner.

Still, the education minister insists on bringing a consensus

 The Rupani government slipped out of the debate in the House when it came to deciding on fee waivers for private school students.  In the evening, the Education Minister reiterated that in the coming days, the state government will make a concerted effort to safeguard the interests of school administrators and parents and ensure that the Gujarat High Court judgment is followed in due course.  For this purpose, the State Government is committed to sit down with these two parties at the earliest and take appropriate decision in the manner suggested by the Gujarat High Court.