Schools take loans as offline classes for all grades start

Some owners have put up personal assets as collateral for funds to upgrade infrastructure; others have borrowed from family and friends

With COVID-19 on the decline and ‘normal’ life slowly resuming, schools are struggling with inadequate teaching staff and infrastructure required to maintain social distancing and other safety precautions. Offline classes for all grades are scheduled to commence on October 25, and though many private schools have delayed the resumption of primary sections, the problem has become all the more urgent. Many school managements have decided to take loans as they are unable to increase fees.

“We need to invest in infrastructure upgrades to ensure that students can return to classrooms safely without fear of cluster outbreaks,” said school principals. This means that they have to construct more toilets, create more space, and hire more staff. As a result of this, school managements have said that they need funds in the range of ₹10 lakh to ₹70 lakh.

Lokesh Talikatte, State unit president of the Recognised Unaided Private Schools’ Association, Karnataka, said schools were forced to resort to such measures as the State Government had said that they could not increase the fees this academic year in view of the pandemic.