Indore: Despite orders from government and district administrators, some schools continue to pressure parents on payment of fees by shutting down online classes and seeking fees even in event of transfer certificate (TC).
Staging a protest against such schools, a group of parents under the campaign ‘Jago Palak Jago’ raised their issues at Regal Square on Tuesday.
Schools are turning blind eye to parent’s issues and concerns leaving them in a difficult situation. “While everyone is facing financial crunch due to coronavirus outspread and economic fall-down, some schools are determined to record profits at any cost,” campaign coordinator Ramakant Sharma said.
He explained that parents have been approaching school administration repeatedly to clear the issues and share their stance, but to no use.
Exclusion of children from online classes reasoned to non-payment of fees continues to be a major issue in most schools. “A couple of days back, parents have approached the respective schools as well, but school principal refuses to even consider issues of aggrieved parents,” Sharma said.
He shared that in a recent meeting, a school demanded parents to pay this year’s fee even if they need transfer certificate (TC).
In protest against schools denying online education to students, parents raised slogans and sought help from district administration.
“We demand administration to act against the schools, who are denying the children the right to education,” legal activist Chanchal Gupta said.
He added that many private schools have also hiked up tuition fee, as High Court (HC) ruled that only tuition fee can be collected for this academic year.
FP Photo
FP Photo
Schools cannot deny online classes, previous orders:
Regarding similar issues, parents had approached divisional commissioner Pawan Sharma, who ordered that schools cannot remove students from online classes citing non-payment of fee.
Parents had approached Sharma under the campaign ‘Jago Palak Jago’ against schools pressuring to pay complete fees while only online classes are being held. As per instructions from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was also approached by a parent, schools cannot pressurise parents to pay the fees.
Further, as brought to light by parent associations CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) affiliation bye-laws, which states that every school must have reserve fund for emergency.
On which, Sharma had demanded schools to disclose their reserve fund and use it in these difficult times to bear expenses.
Other than Sharma, joint director education department and district education officer have already instructed schools not to deny online classes to students, even if their fee is unpaid.
