Meltdown effect: Surat schools reduce fees for children of diamond polishers

The diamond industry has been severely hit by the global economic meltdown,which is why many families have pulled out their children from schools in Surat and shifted to their native place in Saurashtra.

A leading industrialist,Vallabh Sawani,who is a member of the E M Charitable Trust at Varachha,also runs a group of schools in Varachha and Kapodara.

He has declared not a single child of any diamond polisher should have to leave studies for not paying fees in any school in Surat.

The trust members decided in a meeting to help the diamond polishers and already given 10,000 forms for printing.

The diamond polishers,who cannot afford to pay fees of their children,should contact E M Charitable Trust at Hirabaug in Varachha and fill details of his child and name of the school. The trust will contact the school authorities and will pay two months fees.

The trustees of Sarvajanik Vidhya Vihar Trust at Ved Road have also decided to pay fees of children of diamond polishers. One of the trustees,Jeewan Unghad,said that parents should contact the trust or their school principals and submit an application for fees relaxation.

Even Jeewan Bharti School trustees have decided to pay fees of children of diamond polishers.

Vallabh Sawani,a trustee,told Newsline: “We have decided to come for help of the children of the diamond polishers. The forms will be printed in two days. We have managed extra staff for guiding the parents and collecting details of their children. If there is a heavy rush,we will print more forms. We will pay fees in cash in different schools after collecting the forms.”