School sends siblings home due to non-payment of fees
By Sukhada Khandge
Father received leaving certificates by post; DyDe asks institute to reinstate them, not break RTE norms.
Siblings studying in Lion Club Education Association English Medium School, Dehu Road, were sent leaving certificates via speed post due to non-payment of fees. Their father alleged that he was willing to pay the amount, but the school refused to accept it. He now says that the institution was being unjust to his children.
Mehrban Singh claimed that he had paid the fee for three months, but was later told that the school took it as an outstanding amount and failed to inform him about the next payment. Without clearing the issue, the school also went ahead to send leaving certificates of a boy and girl to their home. The leaving certificates reached him on June 7, after which he approached the deputy director of education (DyDE). Subsequently, the regional education officer was instructed to investigate the issue. Also, the school was told, through a letter, to not remove the students. Despite this, on June 21 commemorated as Yoga Day, the school sent the kids home.
Singh’s kids study in Class II and Class III. Talking to Mirror,the father said, “I paid the fees for the next three months at the start of the academic year. The school considered it as the outstanding amount and sent a leaving certificate of my children through speed post. When I approached the school, I was told to pay a fee of Rs 18,000. I was willing to pay, but the school had informed the Thane Janata Sahakari Bank, where we usually deposit the amount, to not accept the fees. After the leaving certificate was issued on June 7, the DyDE sent a letter on June 14 to the school, asking not to remove the students. But still, my kids were later sent home.”
Talking about the issue, DyDE Meenakshi Raut said, “After the parent approached me, I asked the regional education officer to look into the matter. No school is authorised to remove students due to non-payment of fees. At most, the school can charge for paying late or inform parents to pay the amount at the earliest. Removing students from school is clearly against the Right to Education (RTE) norms.”
Singh further said that since most schools have already started the academic year, it has become impossible for him to find another institution for his kids. He said, “My kids are also scared now after they were sent leaving certificates and removed from the premises. The school should consider if a parent is unable to pay fees. In my case, I was willing to clear the pending amount, but was not given a chance.”
When Mirror contacted Savita Utekar, the principal, she informed through an SMS that the management will take a final decision regarding the students after conducting a meeting.
Father received leaving certificates by post; DyDe asks institute to reinstate them, not break RTE norms.
Siblings studying in Lion Club Education Association English Medium School, Dehu Road, were sent leaving certificates via speed post due to non-payment of fees. Their father alleged that he was willing to pay the amount, but the school refused to accept it. He now says that the institution was being unjust to his children.
Mehrban Singh claimed that he had paid the fee for three months, but was later told that the school took it as an outstanding amount and failed to inform him about the next payment. Without clearing the issue, the school also went ahead to send leaving certificates of a boy and girl to their home. The leaving certificates reached him on June 7, after which he approached the deputy director of education (DyDE). Subsequently, the regional education officer was instructed to investigate the issue. Also, the school was told, through a letter, to not remove the students. Despite this, on June 21 commemorated as Yoga Day, the school sent the kids home.
Singh’s kids study in Class II and Class III. Talking to Mirror,the father said, “I paid the fees for the next three months at the start of the academic year. The school considered it as the outstanding amount and sent a leaving certificate of my children through speed post. When I approached the school, I was told to pay a fee of Rs 18,000. I was willing to pay, but the school had informed the Thane Janata Sahakari Bank, where we usually deposit the amount, to not accept the fees. After the leaving certificate was issued on June 7, the DyDE sent a letter on June 14 to the school, asking not to remove the students. But still, my kids were later sent home.”
Talking about the issue, DyDE Meenakshi Raut said, “After the parent approached me, I asked the regional education officer to look into the matter. No school is authorised to remove students due to non-payment of fees. At most, the school can charge for paying late or inform parents to pay the amount at the earliest. Removing students from school is clearly against the Right to Education (RTE) norms.”
Singh further said that since most schools have already started the academic year, it has become impossible for him to find another institution for his kids. He said, “My kids are also scared now after they were sent leaving certificates and removed from the premises. The school should consider if a parent is unable to pay fees. In my case, I was willing to clear the pending amount, but was not given a chance.”
When Mirror contacted Savita Utekar, the principal, she informed through an SMS that the management will take a final decision regarding the students after conducting a meeting.
On June 14, DyDE sent a letter to the school, asking not to remove the students; (R) kids sent home on June 21
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