Ahmedabad: Parents report school to DEO over ‘hefty fees, discrimination’

AHMEDABAD: Parents of students studying at a private school in Bodakdev staged protests at the school premises on Thursday against the exorbitant fees being charged for various activities. They alleged that the school is forcing the students to enrol in different extracurricular activities instead of offering these as options.
They also accused the school of discrimination, claiming that the students who don’t register for these paid activities are made to sit in separate classrooms. Later in the day, they reported the matter to the Ahmedabad city district education officer (DEO) who has ordered an inquiry.

The parents of students studying at the Ahmedabad International School (AIS) said the fee regulatory committee (FRC) has fixed the school fees at Rs 1.23 lakh per annum.
The school, however, charges Rs 1.7 lakh additional fee for extracurricular activities and additional courses, which is higher than the tuition fees fixed by the FRC, they alleged.
They said that the school has created two separate sections and named them ‘opted in’ and ‘opted out.’
The students who have paid for the extracurricular activities are made to sit in the ‘opted in’ classrooms, while those who have not enrolled in these activities are made to sit in the ‘opted out’ classrooms.
Sources said that a group of parents gathered at the school premises and protested against the alleged discrimination and collection of exorbitant fees in the name of extracurricular activities. They said that the students who have not opted for additional courses and activities are being made to sit idle even after their regular classes. According to sources, the school administration called the police department to disburse the protesting parents, who later approached Ahmedabad city DEO.
Sources in DEO’s office said that an inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
“Parents of students from AIS have accused the school administration of discriminatory behaviour and charging hefty fees. We have ordered an inquiry and asked the school authorities to meet us in person and submit their explanation in the next two days,” Ahmedabad city DEO RM Chaudhari told TOI.