It seems that public schools are least bothered about complaints against them since complaints against them at toll free compliant cell by the district administration are regularly increasing. While the cell received a total of 18 complaints on Monday, it registered 20 plaints on Tuesday.
Parents alleged that the district administration can not ensure strict action against the public schools following political pressure and public schools do their according to their own set of rules. Even after instructions to public schools by the senior officials in the meeting remains ineffective.
Around 20 people had registered their complaints against public schools at toll free number-18002582581. A caller, who didn’t disclose the identity, blamed that Heritage school had charged Rs 250 from each of its student for a diary which could come for just Rs 100. A caller said that Asian School does not return security deposit of its students.
A caller alleged that Children Academy has excessively increased its tuition fees from Rs 1,150 to Rs 1,600 per month for Class V students. Other caller said that this school had failed its students studying in Classes I-VIII. Students studying in nursery are charged Rs 1,250 per month in SV public School. In addition to this, students are charged additional fee without giving receipt.
Oak Grove School had charged Rs 50, 000 for releasing TC to its class XI student. Two callers said that students of XI standard, who didn’t do well in the annual examination, were being forced to opt commerce stream in stead of science in Raja Ram Mohan Roy Public School and Bightlands School.
A caller said that Harikishan public school didn’t issue transfer certificate (TC) to its students. Tuition fees were hiked by 30 per cent in Guru Nank School. After repeated public complaints regarding hike in tuition fees against one of the public schools in the last year, the then district magistrate had written a letter to the education secretary to cancel its no objection certificate.
In stead of taking action against the public school, a meeting was arranged between parents’ association and management of the school in presence of district administration and this issue was sorted out by directing the school to decrease its fee marginally.
Moreover, different students’ union had protested against St Joseph Academy, and other public schools for selling text books in the school campus. But the protestors didn’t get anything except assurance since no action was ensured against the school.
When contacted, a senior administrative officer, pleading anonymity, said that a meeting was arranged between the parents and schools to address their grievances.
In spite of that if schools were not following the instructions, he would look into the matter. And as far as ensuring enrollment of 25 per cent children in non-government and public schools was the duty of education department. It is not the task of district administration.