Navi Mumbai civic body warns schools over fee demands

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) commissioner Abhijit Bangar has warned schools of strict action on receiving complaints of parents over not allowing

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) commissioner Abhijit Bangar has warned schools of strict action on receiving complaints of parents over not allowing children to attend online classes. A meeting between NMMC and private school management was held recently after the civic body received complaints from parents.

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Bangar said, “Education is a basic right and as per Section 16 of RTE, no child admitted in a school shall be held back in any class or expelled from school till the completion of elementary education. Hence, if any school denies any child from attending exam, attending online classes or receiving mark sheets over non-payment of fees, action would be taken.”

He added, “We have sent several notices to schools in the past but a direct communication was needed. The management brought forward their issues. They said that they have to pay salaries and maintain laboratories. We asked them to have a meeting with their contractors and amicably find a solution. We have asked the management to see the whole situation in an empathetic way as each household is undergoing financial crunch during the pandemic.”

Some parents had complained of schools asking them to take loans to pay fees. This was not acceptable by the NMMC chief.

Meanwhile, due to a stay by the High Court on the issue of reduction of the fees by school during the pandemic, NMMC did not ask the schools to reduce fees. But, it appealed to schools not to pressurise parents for fees and to give them time for the same.