THANE: A group of irate parents protested outside a prominent school in Thane's Ghodbunder road after the management threatened to not allow students to appear for their final exams if they failed to pay fees for the academic year by next week.
The parents said they were ready to pay the fees but have been requesting administration of the New Horizon school at Anand Nagar to waive off around 35% which was charged as expenses for laboratory, library and other miscellaneous activities. They argued that as their children have not been attending regular classes, there was no question of using any facilities nor did the school provide any assistance in learning aids during the period.
“The school has shown insensitivity and warned us that our children will not be allowed to appear for their forthcoming final exams if we didn’t pay up till February 10. We have tried to explain the school management that many parents incurred additional expenses to accommodate online classes even as they suffered financial setbacks while few lost jobs. We are ready to pay the fees but need some concessions in this time of distress,” said an agonized parent refusing to be identified.
S Banerjee, trustee of the New Horizon Education Trust that operates the school justified the fees saying they continued to bear the expenses including salaries and taxes even if the facilities were shut. He however assured students would not be barred from appearing for exams online.