Parents fume as Pune schools stop online classes to protest non-payment of fees

As per the Federation of Schools Association in Maharashtra, the response of English-medium schools to the call to shutdown, because of a problem with fees, has been satisfactory

Some private schools in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad have shut down online education for three days, starting Tuesday.

A municipal worker sanitises a classroom of a school ahead of its reopening from November 23 in rural Pune, after a gap of nearly eight months in Karad, Maharashtra, India, on Friday, November 20, 2020. (HT FILE PHOTO)

As per the Federation of Schools Association in Maharashtra, the response of English-medium schools to the call to shutdown, because of a problem with fees, has been satisfactory.

However, parent associations in the city have responded by calling the move an act of “blackmail by schools”.

Rajendra Singh, state president, Federation of Schools Association in Maharashtra, said, “A lot of schools have joined the protest and even parents have called us to show their support.”

“Parents should understand that the school cannot function on only 30 per cent fees paid by parents. We do not want children to suffer. There are a lot of parents who are misinformed about payment of fees. We have tried to clear that confusion too,” said Singh.

Anubha Sahai, president, India Wide Parents Association, said that this three-day shut-down is “blackmail and extortion by schools”.

“Many schools are charging 100 per cent fees. Some schools have clubbed all the fees under the tuition fee. Our demands are simple, there should be transparency and schools should be audited. By protesting like this, schools are blackmailing parents. It is important to ask why other states are not protesting. Fees should be charged only for tuition. And the fees should be capped,” said Sahai.

P Suresh, a parent with two school-going children, said, “The school is charging full fees under the tuition fee. This includes transport and other fees. By definition, what they are doing is right, but the fees they are charging is huge and unjust in this pandemic.”

The education of his younger child is hampered as he has not yet paid the full fee. “Online content that the school publishes on their website cannot be accessed by the child as they keep asking us to pay the fees,” said Suresh.