On a busy first day when lower primary school classes reopened on Monday, a house maid from Jeppu was among the many parents who had come to meet Rajeevi, headmistress of the Government Higher Primary School, Bikarnakatte, here. The woman had sought admission in the school and had come to enquire with Ms. Rajeevi whether private school in Bolar, where her daughter was enrolled earlier, had sent the transfer certificate.
Ms. Rajeevi told her about the pending tuition fees that the woman had to clear for the private school at Bolar to send the certificate for admission to Class 3 in the government school. When the woman expressed difficulty in clearing fees, Ms. Rajeevi asked her to approach the office of the Deputy Director of Public Instruction for redressal.
Another woman, whose two children studied in a private school in Kaup, too faced the same problem. After a divorce, just before the start of the lockdown, she moved with her children to her parents house in Shakti Nagar here two years ago. The government school at Bikarnakatte considered the two children as those who have discontinued their studies and admitted them to the lower primary classes.
These two women are among the parents who have issues getting transfer certificate from private schools. These parents, whose income has been affected due to COVID-19, have removed their children from private schools and have sought admission to government schools in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. While some private schools have issued transfer certificates, there are a few school managements that are insisting on parents to pay 70% of the tuition fees of the last academic year.
“There are a good number of children admitted to our school whose transfer certificates we are yet to receive from private schools,” said Ms. Rajeevi.
There are a total of 200 students in her school, off the NH-75 bypass road. Apart from nearby Shakti Nagar, students come to this school from Adyar Padavu, Valachil, Jeppinamogaru and Olabail.
Shubha, in-charge headmistress of the Government Higher Primary School in Thiruvail, Vamanjoor, said that all students, who came from the private school, to her school, have got their transfer certificates. There are 200 students in this school and they come from Gurupura and Pachhanady.
Dakshina Kannada Deputy Director of Public Instruction Malleswamy said that parents having issues in getting transfer certificates can approach his office. “We did resolve four cases. People should come with specific details about schools,” he said.
Udupi Deputy Director of Public Instruction N.H. Nagur said that under the law, a student has a right to study in a school of his choice. This right cannot be curbed by private schools on the basis of pending fees. The department is taking action on such complaints, he said.
