Jharkhand Education Tribunal (JET) has registered a case in connection with the controversy over the fee hike decision taken by the DAV School, Patelnagar, and started a probe into the matter.
Dr Umesh Kumar, president of Jamshedpur Abhibhavak Sangh, claimed in a media meet. “JET authorities have lodged a complaint following the directive of the Jharkhand governor Dr Syed Ahmed. The governor has asked the authorities concerned to look into the matter and find out the truth by setting up a probe into the controversy,” said Umesh Kumar.
The Abhibhavak Sangh president said the parents of students of the DAV School, Patelnagar, had first gone to the school officials and requested them to withdraw the decision to hike the fees. But when the issue was not addressed promptly and appropriately by the school authorities, they decided to knock the doors of the Raj Bhavan which ultimately entrusted the JET with the task of carrying out a probe into the matter,” said Kumar.
The Abhibhavak Sangh president who had taken up the matter for finding a solution to the standoff between parents and the school management authorities said the JET should ensure transparency in the probe and look into the pros and cons of the fee hike issue so that justice may be delivered without fail. He said the interests of parents and students should not be overlooked by the JET authorities while conducting the probe. “The welfare of students should be given top priority by the state education department and the JET authorities.
The allegations of parents should be verified and reasons should be asked for whimsical fee hike affected by the school authorities without consulting the parents or taking into consideration the financial condition of students,” said Kumar. Kumar said the district administration had earlier fixed a date for a meeting with parents and the school authorities. But the meeting could not take place as the school management said the fee hike decision would not be revoked, he said.
The school authorities have been denying claims that the fee hike decision was whimsical. They said the fee hike was affected keeping into mind the overall development of the school, faculties and students.
They said they were trying their best to provide quality education to the students.