Schools arm-twisting us to pay hiked fees: Parents

Mumbai: Several among 150-odd parents - who joined the protest organised on Sunday by NGO, Forum for Fairness in Education (FFE), against arbitrary fee hike in privately-run schools – complained that school managements were resorting to strong-arm tactics to make them pay raised fees.

Some of these parents alleged that they had been warned, verbally or in writing, by school managements that their wards would be de-rolled if the hiked fees were not paid.

Suman Shetty, whose child studies in Universal School, Dahisar, told The Asian Age, “Schools have issued letters where they have categorically said that our kids will be de-rolled if we don’t pay the raised fees. Now, we need justice not assurance.”

Another parent whose kid is a student of Thakur International School, Kandivali, Purnima Sawant, said, “The school is flouting all norms despite guidelines on fee hike. The government has failed to take stringent measures to curb these issues.”

Giving a verbal assurance, Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant, said, “Before school starts, this issue should be resolved  otherwise, school managements will face a Sena-style agitation. I will have a word with Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray and will tell the government to take cognisance of the issue.”

On Sunday, Mr Sawant, minister of state for home Dr Ranjit Patil, and MLA Bachu Kadu met the agitating parents and assured them of taking up the issue with the government. Mr Sawant also said that if the government failed to do anything, the Sena would initiate an agitation in its signature style.