Principals booked for not letting two kids sit in class or take tests over fees in Mumbai

MUMBAI: Two principals of the primary and secondary sections of a partly aided minority school in Kalina and its manager were booked on Tuesday after a parent complained her two sons, aged 12 and 11, were made to sit in corridors during school hours over non-payment of fees.
The students were not allowed to appear for their unit test in January too. Vakola police said they would record the statements of all individuals, including the school management, before making any arrests.
In her statement to the police, the parent alleged her 12-year-old son was made to sit outside his class for four months over non-payment of Rs 7,500 fees. He was not allowed to appear for the last unit test. After parents sent letters to the education department, he was allowed to appear for the final exam last month. The secondary section of the school is aided.
The parent alleged her 11-year-old son was detained in Class 3 for non-payment of Rs 19,000 fees. He too was not allowed to sit in class nor write his unit test in January. She alleged his teacher would taunt him in front of his classmates, who began to make fun of him. The parent further alleged that such was the mental torture that her sons refused to go to school.
The parent stated the school asked her to send her children to a municipal school if she could not pay the fees. "The manager and principals told my sons to go to a municipal school if we cannot afford the fees. They would come home crying for not being allowed to enter their classrooms. Now, they cry saying they don't want to go to school," the parent told TOI.
She said her eldest son, a Class 9 student aged 13, has been attending regular school and has taken his exams as all his fees are cleared.
The parent said her husband, a driver by profession, has been suffering from tuberculosis and been without a job for several months.
Another parent alleged her son, aged 8, was not allowed to sit in class for a month. The Class 3 student complained he could not see what was written on the blackboard from outside the classroom.
A set of parents had approached Vakola police on March 22 with their complaint.
In a circular to parents on February 21, the school stated around 250 students have not paid their fees. There are 28 unapproved staff members and the school management has to pay annual salaries of Rs 75 lakh. The school refused to share details of the case.
DCP (Zone VIII) Dikshit Gedam said no arrest has been made. "A probe has been initiated on the basis of the complaint received. Action will be initiated based on the investigation details," he said.
Parents complained for the upcoming academic year, the school refused to allow payment of fees for the secondary section in instalments.
Police have applied the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act which attracts imprisonment of up to six months or fine or both.