Schools across the country are closed due to the pandemic caused by Covid-19. This has also led to the postponement / cancellation of examinations and has disrupted the normal operations of the School. To understand the effect of COVID-19 on private schools, my company Strategum Eduserve conducted a national survey involving 100 School Principals and Promoters from about 22 Cities across India, including the Tier 2 cities.

We are living in an unprecedented times caused by the pandemic. It is only appropriate that we carve out a collective response to ensure minimum disruptions to the routine operation of Schools across India.

Strategum surveyed (online) 100 CBSE School Principals / Owners in India between 30th March to 04 April 2020. The key findings are summarised here.

• Respondents represented about 22 Cities across India and 83% respondents are Principal the remaining were School Promoters.
  
  
• 43% of the schools surveyed said that they are highly affected by the pandemic and school closures
  
  
• While 52% said schools may start in June 2020, 26% believed that the schools will be able to start only by July or later.
  
  
• 78% of the schools said they were well prepared in terms of hygiene and protection of your students/residential students to resolve the panic situation created by the epidemic
  
  

Impact on School financials

• School fee collection has been hit. 74% of Schools collected less than 25% of Schools fees that is usually collected by March 2020
  
  
• 87% of schools said that the new admissions are affected
  
  

Impact on Staff

• The good news is that 74% of Schools do not intent to lay-off teachers.
  
  
• Only 22% of schools have cash surplus to pay salaries beyond May 2020

Managing expectations

• 87% of the schools expect pressure from parents to not increase fees in AY20-21
  
  
• 70% of Schools expect that Parents will ask for fee waiver for the duration of lockdown
  
  
• While 33% of schools are willing to waive off transport fees, 48% of Schools are not willing to waive any fees
  
  
• More than 75% of schools are satisfied with support / response from CBSE
  
  

Managing expectations

• 61% of Schools don’t expect any concession or benefits from Government to support the Schools. However, they want:

• Govt. not to enforce fee waiver on Schools
  
  
• Relaxation in dates for various compliances (incl. CBSE)
  
  
• Allow Schools to run independently (not make it political)
  
  
• Streamline admissions process for students who have passed 12th Grade and are awaiting admissions into Undergraduate Programs across discipline.
  
  

Preparing for the future

• 79% of the Schools have started revising the School Working Days and aligning their calendar / curriculum
  
  
• 83% of Schools are willing to go online to conduct classes for Grades 8 and above in case of delay beyond June 2020
  
  
• But only 52% of Schools are prepared to conduct online classes, if required in future
  
  

Conclusion

• School Principals appear to be well-prepared to face the effect of lockdown caused by Covid-19
  
  
• Private Schools have always maintained best practices of health, hygiene and safety
  
  
• Schools are worried about Government forcing them to waive-off School Fees for the duration of lockdown as they continue to pay salaries of staff.
  
  
• None of the Schools expect slowdown in School sector and hence there are no plans to lay-off teachers
  
  
• School are willing to adopt online education or models of flipped classrooms.
  
  

Also read: An unprecedented challenge, also an opportunity for SMEs to do unprecedented things

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