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Still being forced by schools to pay hiked fees, allege parents
Even as the state education department has issued a series of regulations to ensure that parents get flexibility in paying schools fees, several schools in the city
Even as the state education department has issued a series of regulations to ensure that parents get flexibility in paying schools fees, several schools in the city are still not playing by the rules, said parents.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) wrote to the department on behalf of several parents on Wednesday urging officials to act against schools which are not complying with government norms.
“Several schools are forcing parents to pay hiked fees while many others are asking them to physically come and pick up stationery and other material from the school which is compulsory. In a crisis situation like this, schools are blackmailing parents. Despite complaints, no action is taken against them,” said Chetan Pednekar, vice-president, MNVS. “Many schools are also violating the standard operating procedures set by the department and are conducting classes for hours together,” he added.
A senior official from the education department said, “We are taking action against such schools. Parents need not worry.” When asked about the nature of action taken, the official refused to comment on the issue.
Another set of parents from a school chain in Goregaon wrote to the education department on Tuesday demanding action against a school which had hiked its fee by 8%-10%. Parents said that despite their complaints to nodal officers appointed by the department, no action has been taken against the school. “The school told us now that parents who do not pay their complete fees would not get education kits for their children. We just hope the government acts soon,” said a parent on the condition of anonymity.
According to a government resolution released in the first week of May, schools cannot hike fees for the academic year 2020-21 and have to allow parents to pay fees in instalments.
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