St Xavier’s School asks ₹6.5k per student for music fest; parents raise concern

St Xavier's School in Mumbai has raised concerns among parents for requesting a contribution of ₹6,500 per student for a music festival. The school administration denies allegations of forcing parents to pay. Parents have expressed concerns over the substantial amount requested.

Mumbai: St Xavier’s School, Dhobitalo, has raised concerns among parents for requesting a contribution of ₹6,500 per student for a music festival. The letter addressed to the parents indicates that it is a voluntary contribution, but some parents alleged that they are being forced to pay the amount. The school administration, on the other hand, has refused these allegations.

HT Image

On Monday, several parents took to social media to express their concerns regarding the substantial amount requested by the school.

One parent, fearing potential consequences, on condition of anonymity, said, “The school is demanding ₹6,500 per student from nursery to Class 5. They are pressuring parents to make this payment. However, not everyone can afford such an amount.”

The letter addressed to parents, dated October 6, explains, “Our grand musical event, scheduled for Thursday, December 7, presents its own set of challenges, and this is where we seek your generous contribution and support. To cover the substantial expenses of the musical, we kindly request a voluntary contribution of ₹6,500 or more per student, which would be greatly appreciated.”

Another concerned parent noted, “Families with multiple children in the school will find themselves burdened by a significantly larger amount. Apart from this ₹6,500, the school demanded an additional ₹3,500 for costumes and ₹1,500 mandatory parent entry fee.”

Father Jude Fernandes SJ, school principal, clarified, “The primary school PTA conducted several meetings over organising the student musical event. Subsequently, PTA representatives met with parents of primary school children to inform them about the event and request their support. The PTA then decided to initially raise funds from parents, resulting in a request letter being sent to parents for contributions.”