Education officer takes cognizance of news report highlighting isolation of six-year-old over fee dispute with parents, seeks reply from institution
RBK school in Mira Road
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Day 3 on Wednesday, the six-year-old Std II student at Mira Road's RBK School was again not allowed inside the classroom.
But this time, the school called up her parents, asking them to come and take her home half an hour after she reached there.
The education officer has asked the school to submit its explanation within two days.
mid-day had reported on Wednesday about the girl's ordeal on the first two days of school - how she was isolated to first the library, and the next day to the reception area over the ongoing fee dispute with her parents.
On purpose?
"The school was charging exorbitant fees, so I raised my voice against it. Several parents supported me, and now, the case is in court. But my child is suffering for no fault of hers. I have paid the full fee via a demand draft because the school would not accept my cheque. It wasn't accepting fees for my son, who is in Std IV, either. But in his case, it later asked me to pay a fine, and then, took his fees. In my daughter's case, neither is it accepting the fees, nor letting her in. The management is doing this deliberately. I have the full payment record on paper," said Aakash Nayak, her father.
Local education officer Suresh Deshmukh told mid-day, "We received the parents' complaint and have asked the school management to respond within two days. An appropriate decision will be taken after that."
"The education officer has asked me to keep my child home for two days until the school submits its reply. Why should she stay home when I have paid the fees, and the school hasn't sent a written communication that she is no longer associated with it?" questioned Nayak.
An affidavit has been filed in the ongoing court case about the mental harassment the child suffered at the school.
More voices
Officers from the local police station, where too Nayak had submitted a complaint, visited the school. Additional superintendent of police Prashant Kamble, whose office received the complaint, said, "We will conduct an inquiry."
Ajay Pandita from Parents of Private Schools of Maharashtra said, "Schools are not adhering to the Fee Regulation Act, and the state authorities are not bothered to implement the law appropriately. Several complaints are pending. If there is no strict action against the rule breakers, why will schools have any fear? No wonder children are getting harassed, because the state authorities are ignoring the issue."
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