Parents cry foul, allege harassment

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 22

Parents, who have been leading the protest against the alleged hefty annual fee charges by private schools, are now at the receiving end.

They alleged that the schools have withheld the results, asking the protesting parents to pay building fund and annual fee.

To top it all, parents have been made to give an undertaking that in future they will not be involved in any such protest against the school.

The incident came to light after RTI activist Gajjan Singh Jassal along with members of the parents’ association met the District Education Officer (DEO) Secondary Sarabjit Singh and lodged a complaint against certain private schools for targeting parents who had led the protest against the hefty fee policy of the private schools.

“Parents are now paying the price for standing against injustice. They are also being made to give an undertaking that in future they will not stage any protest against the school,” said Jassal.

After the meeting, DEO Sarabjit Singh issued a circular to all schools in the district directing these not to deny admission or withhold results of students.

The DEO added that pressing the parents to pay annual charges and related funds would be treated as a violation of a status quo issued by the fee committee, constituted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Earlier during the month, Director, Education Department, had issued a directive in this regard. He had also issued a copy of the Punjab Regulation of fee of Unaided Education Institution Bill, 2016, wherein schools were directed to follow the guidelines of Right to Education Act.

Gajjan Singh Jassal said they have lodged a complaint against Gurbachan Singh, the director of Guru Nanak Model Senior Secondary School, for withholding the result of students.

While Gurbachan Singh was not available for comments, a schoolteacher said parents were not depositing the school fee which led to the problem.

When asked, Jassal said due to demonetisation, there was a huge cash crunch. Parents had offered to pay the fees through cheque but the school authorities had refused to accept the money through cheque. No when the parents offered to pay the pending fee through cash , the school authorities were pressing the parents to pay building fund and annual charges.

Jassal said that due to vested interests the politicians also do not intervene in the issue as the school offers seats to the students coming with their reference.