State education minister Jagarnath Mahto on Thursday promised to issue a circular on the school fee waiver issue that has kept lockdown-wounded parents in limbo this past one month without clarity from the state government.

Though Mahto earlier requested schools to waive fees for three months from March to May keeping in mind the lockdown that has hurt many parents financially, no official notification was forthcoming. So far, he has addressed the fee waiver issue through tweets or through interviews in newspapers.

Schools have so far reacted sharply to Mahto’s “verbal request”, claiming it was not financially feasible for them to waive fees.

Speaking to The Telegraph over phone on Thursday, the minister promised a government circular in a couple of days to clear the air on the waiver.

“I have already asked schools to waive fees for three months. We will notify a decision so that parents and schools can get a clear picture. I have also formed a committee in this regard,” said Mahto.

Most private schools across the state have already said that waiving fees is not an option and that they have already deferred payments till August without any late fine. If the government notifies the waiver private schools will move the court, said Bailey Bodhanwala, president of the Association of Jharkhand Unaided Private Educational Institutions, Jamshedpur. The association is an umbrella outfit for around 60 private schools in and around the steel city.

“We have done whatever was possible but if we are put under pressure, we will have no option other than seeking help from the judiciary,” Bodhanwala said.

Ajay Rai, president of the All School Parents’ Association, Jharkhand, welcomed the education minister’s stand on waiving fees for three months but urged him to issue an official notice. “The state government should take a concrete stand with a proper circular,” he said.

“We welcome what the minister has said but why not issue a proper notification? The minister has formed a committee that will study other states’ decisions on this issue and consult schools but apparently parents won’t be involved. There is no one to listen to the plight of parents,” Rai added.

A parent in Jamshedpur, who did not want to be named, said: “The minister’s intent is fine, but instead of appeals on Twitter to schools or sharing statements with the media, he should issue an order on the fee waiver. The lockdown has affected many of us drastically, specially small traders and corporate employees. Some fee relief is urgently needed right now.”