Mumbai: Parents seek action against state education dept officials

The parents, who feel that education officers should have taken action against the IES Modern English School, say no action is the failure of the government. File Pic

Parents of students at the IES Modern English School, Dadar, have complained to the Maharashtra Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), demanding action against education department officials from the state government, who they say, have failed in their duties. They have alleged that the new increased fee structure by the school is being debated for the past two years, yet the school administration took action against their children by suspending about 15 of them.

The parents, who feel that education officers should have taken action against the school for this, say no action is the failure of the government, and are demanding that MCPCR take action against the persons responsible for this.

School moved court
After a complaint by parents, the fee hike by the school was declared inappropriate by the education officer's office, but the school administration moved court and won. Parents fighting the fee hike were sent legal notices. As the fee payment was delayed by these parents following the dispute, their wards were suspended from school.

"First of all, removing children from school for delay in paying fees is wrong. We paid the full fee amount obeying the court's decision, yet education department officials did not take any action against the school for victimising children in the row over fees. This is clear failure of the officials from the state education department," said the parent who has submitted the complaint, adding, "This is very dangerous behaviour on part of the education officials, which is setting a bad precedent of giving a free hand to private educational institutions in profiteering."

While Satish Nayak, trustee of the Indian Education Society (IES), which runs the school, was not available for comment even after several attempts to contact him, a senior official from the MCPCR said, "One case regarding action taken against the children is already going on at the commission after receiving parents' complaint. This is another complaint letter submitted now which will be included."

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