Mumbai: Following the protest by parents at Ryan International School’s Kharghar branch on Monday, around 200 parents of children studying at the school’s Sanpada branch staged an agitation outside its premises on Tuesday. The parents demanded the school provide better a security infrastructure for students. The Sanpada branch’s principal, however, refused to interact with the parents during the two-hour protest.
The parent of a Class VI student said, “The principal said from behind the closed gates that she will look into the demands and asked the crowd to disperse. We wanted to speak to her face-to-face, but she alleged there are many in the crowd who aren’t parents and have come only to mob her.”
Meanwhile, some Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members met the principal in her office and submitted a list of demands, including for CCTV cameras inside classrooms and outside washrooms, and identity cards for parents. Meena Sonawane, a PTA member said, “Our main demand was the school management should be responsible for a student while in school, to which the principal agreed. She also said CCTV systems will be installed within two days, and an attendant will be positioned outside washrooms.”
She said presently, CCTVs are installed on each floor and at entries and exits. Other demands included police verification of all staff and the establishment of a Parents Representative Team, which will conduct surprise visits after hours and will have access to CCTV footage.
Similar demands were placed before the Kandivali Branch’s prinicpal on Tuesday by protesting parents. Sujata Tanpure, a former PTA member and parent of a Class VIII student, said, “Following the Gurugram incident, the main question parents had was: how safe is this branch and what measures is the school taking to make the school more safe? Parents will be meeting on September 29 to discuss measures taken by the school.”
Ryan International School’s Nerul branch has been under police protection since Monday. “We have provided security to the Nerul branch, but no protest has happened till now,” Senior PI Ashok Rajput, Nerul police station said.