'No fee payment, no report card': Bhayandar school tells parents

S L Porwal School in Bhayandar. Pic/slporwalschool.in

There seems to be no end to the ongoing fee battle with school managements. A fresh hurdle has come in the way of parents who send their children to S L Porwal School in Bhayandar. The management has allegedly refused to release students' report cards of the last academic session if the fee for this year is not paid.

Some of the parents on Monday alleged that when they went to the school for open house, they were stopped at the gate to verify if they had paid the fees. Those who hadn't were denied entry to the school premises.

The school has reduced the fee and is allowing all children in online classes, irrespective of the status of fee payment.

More relaxations

But the parents demanded further relaxations, owing to financial difficulties they are facing due to the pandemic. Due to the ongoing feud, many parents have still paid this academic year's fee and did not know of the management's condition on the report card until Monday's open house.

Parents have now written to the school management seeking clarity on the issue, and raised a few other demands, including the further reduction in fees as not all facilities on the campus are being used. They have also demanded that every class be recorded so that anyone who misses it can watch it later.

School's decision 'bizarre'

"This [not giving last year's result] is bizarre as our children have already started taking the classes online. Why should the school deny the result now?" questioned one parent requesting anonymity fearing consequences. Another parent said, "None of us plan to leave the school amid pandemic as this is not the right time for new admission. The school is also continuing with online classes for all. Then why is it not letting us see the progress report of our children?"

Need some time

Parents said the school has refused to reduce the fee from R33,000 to R27,000 and asked them to pay the first of the three instalments. "We also have to pay R2,300 for school stationary. None of us is refusing to pay the fee, but we need more time as the city has just started to reopen and the parents will once again start earning."

Dilip Porwal, founder and president of the school, said he was not in Bhayandar as he is unwell. "I will take a review of the situation tomorrow."

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