Parents protest against Nerul school levying fees under ‘various heads’

A group of parents assembled before DAV School, Nerul, to protest against school management levying fees under the head of ‘other activities’ during the pandemic; failing to meet anyone from the management, the parents marched to NMMC headquarters

Disagreement between parents and school management over the fee structure has once again come to the fore.

Parents protesting outside DAV School in Nerul on Tuesday. The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation deputy municipal commissioner (education), Jaideep Pawar, has said that a meeting between parents and school would soon be convened. The parents protested on Tuesday against DAV School, Nerul, levying fees under ‘various heads’ during the pandemic. (BACHCHAN KUMAR/HT PHOTO)

On Tuesday, a group of parents assembled before DAV School, Nerul, to discuss the school management levying fees under the head of ‘other activities’ during the pandemic. Failing to meet anyone from the management, the parents marched to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) headquarters.

Around 50 parents staged a silent protest in front of DAV School against the fees being levied under the head of ‘other activities’ during the last two academic years. “The management wants parents to pay fees for activities that were never conducted during Covid. Since there was no offline school, students have not used their laboratory or computers, nor were there any sports or extracurricular events, yet fees of ₹16,000 was being charged annually against ‘other activities’,” said Sneha Naik, a parent.

Parents stated that they have paid the tuition fees. However, they are opposed to paying the ‘other activities’ fees. The management was alleged to be pressuring the parents to pay the fees to get access to their wards’ results.

“Class teachers are personally contacting us to pay the pending fees so that there is no issue in procuring the final results. On Tuesday, we were assured to have a meeting with the principal but eventually nothing materialised, “said a distraught parent waiting outside the NMMC headquarters.

The group eventually raised their grievances with the deputy municipal commissioner (education), Jaideep Pawar. “A meeting is to be convened between the parents and the school to address the issue amicably,” said Pawar.

Meanwhile, the school principal, Kanchan Manuja, maintained that the management was extending all possible help to the parents who are genuinely unable to pay the fees. “There are fees pending for the past three years and never has the management denied any of these students education. Contrary to the parents’ understanding, there were expenditures incurred by the school to ensure that online classes were conducted smoothly. Still, for parents genuinely unable to pay for whatever reasons, they were required to fill a form declaring their inability and attach supporting documents, and the same were submitted to the management. Parents are always welcome to meet us in person and discuss their issues. We have already given concession to 45 students,” she said.