St Xavier’s admits expelled 12-year-old

The 12-year-old boy, who was expelled from BVG international school over non-payment of fees, got admission to St Xavier’s Boys Academy, Churchgate, on Friday. As directed by the Bombay high court’s order to prevent the child’s education being hampered, he will join the school from Monday. However, as the parents of the child expressed gratitude towards the HC order, they said that their fight with the school would continue as many others are facing similar fate due to allegedly unfair fee hikes.

The state education department, on Friday issued a letter to the St Xavier’s Boys Academy to admit the child in the school as per directives given by the HC on July 14. “The HC has asked the school to allow admission to the child on July 18 at 10 am. Kindly complete the admission procedure and furnish a report to the HC on July accordingly,” read the letter signed by B.B. Chavan, deputy director of education, Mumbai.

A division bench of Justices V.M. Kanade and M.S. Sonak, giving directives to ensure that the child’s education isn’t ‘martyred’ had asked the Maharashtra government to ensure that the child gets admission in the same vicinity. The boy was expelled from HVB Global Academy School in Marine Lines, South Mumbai. “”It will be in the interest of the child to be admitted to some other school in the vicinity. The child should not suffer. We want the boy to first get admitted to some other school. That is our primary concern,” The HC had said.

The father of the child said the family held the HC judgment in high regard and thanked the state government. “Even though one admission has been successful, 300 other parents continue to suffer a similar fate. We have all the data and proof. We will drag the school to court for its rampant fee hikes,” he said.