Parents burn DEO’s effigy

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 29

Raising slogans against private schools, the state government and the district administration, members of the Parents’ Rights Association today continued their protest at Arya Samaj Chowk Park and also burnt an effigy of the District Education Officer.

They decry that despite the fact that the Central Government had laid down rules of functioning of private schools in the Right to Education Act, 2009, private schools in Bathinda have been functioning as per their whims and fancies. Courts have issued orders to private schools directing them to charge no capitation fee and follow several other rules, but the schools continue to flout the rules blatantly, they said.

They said despite repeated orders, private schools of Bathinda were still levying various kind of charges on parents for SMS, computers, re-admission, development, smart class, examination fee, annual and several other charges. Despite clear instructions, schools have been selling books, stationery items and uniforms from their premises indulging in commercial activities, parents rued.