Budget English schools across Maharashtra have decided to reduce their fees by up to 25 per cent to help parents tide over the financial crisis inflicted by Covid. Their association has appealed to government workers and other professionals who have not faced salary cuts, job or business loss to pay the full amount, saying it will help the schools survive.

The Maharashtra English School Trustees Association (MESTA), an umbrella body of 18,000 schools including 2,500 from Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Palghar, said the decision will benefit around 60 per cent of children in schools affiliated to it.