Oak Grove founder’s day ends on sour note

Ajay Ramola

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, June 1

The 127th Founder’s Day celebration ceremony held at Oak Grove School,a subsidiary of the Northern Railways, ended on sour note as parents and former school students attending the function agitated at the deteriorating educational standards of the school raised the issue in front of chief guest AK Putia, General Manager, Northern Railways, today.

The agitating parents and former students under the banner of The Old Oak Grovian Association (TOGA) raised slogans against the railway authorities running the school and alleged that students came for education from as far as 200 kms but were feeling demoralised due to the deteriorating academic standards of the school.

They alleged that around 24 school students got 10 CGPA last year but the number had gone down to 14 students scoring 10 CGPA this year thus jeopardising the future of the students.

Parents also alleged that the school management had funds worth several lakhs to spend on the Founder’s Day celebration but was not addressing the issue of paucity of teaching staff in the school.

They alleged that the school authorities did not respond to the RTI queries due to their autocratic attitude and whenever any parent tried to raise the issue against the school management they were gagged and students were ostracised to no end. They demanded an investigation at higher government level in the matter in the irregularities and the corruption that was rampant in the school.

A former student of the school alleged that his father working in the school was being harassed by stopping his salary for five months and was transferred due to his refusal to tow the line of the school management.

Members of The Old Oak Grovian Association (TOGA) also met General Manager Northern Railway AK Puthia, the chief guest on the occasion and aired similar concerns. Former students said they were pained to know that the board results of the students from Oak Grove were on the decline due to the deteriorating academic standards in the school that had a prestigious history of around 127 years.

They further said the problem in the school had arisen due to faulty policy of the railway authorities which was appointing principal for the school from non-academic section which was in violation of the CBSE guidelines.

The GM Northern Railways responding to the allegations said that he was open to the suggestions being made by parents and former students and would try to resolve the issue in accordance with the laid down guidelines of the Railways.