PUNE: As many as 30-40 irked parents of students studying at RMD Sinhgad Springdales (RMDSS) School assembled at Warje police station for filing a complaint against the school authorities for discrimination and harassment of students. The parents have been agitating for long now against the unprecedented fee hike in the school.
The parents claimed that after the police contacts the authorities, they will return to file the FIR on Monday.
The parents have been protesting against the 30 per cent fee hike charged by the school in the new academic year. The group of parents has stated that even though no dues of fee payment were left with the school, since June 13 these students from Class IV, were made to sit in a separate classroom.
One of the parents, Pankaj Apte, said, “After the school reopened on June 4, they kept demanding payment of the remaining amount from my daughter. As I was out of town, they asked her to call me to the school as soon as I was back. She complained that they made her sit with the other students in a classroom for senior KG students. These children were not even allowed to use the bathroom during classes.”
Parents stated that as per district fee regulation committee, the fees can be paid either in installments or monthly. However, the school insisted on payment of all the amount by June 15, warning of action otherwise.
On June 14, the parents made a joint request to School Principal Smita Sawant to allow payment of fees either in two installments or by October 3 due to the sum being large. However, the principal turned down the request and claimed to have no knowledge of any discrimination.
Another parent Varsha Murkute said, “If there is an issue with the fee, the school must contact the parents and not harass the children. To make a Class IV student sit in a small chair meant for a senior KG student is horrible. For the past two days, they missed school work which they were asked to complete the next day. The principal also came to their class and said that they should be thankful they were even allowed to stay on the campus.”
