Although there have been sporadic protests against schools prior to this, this is the first time several parents' associations have come together to hold a joint agitation.
Irked by hefty fee hikes imposed by private schools, several parents’ associations of Gurgaon and Faridabad protested at Mini Secretariat, Gurgaon, on April 2.
Police personnel were deployed near the protest site. Parents also marched to Divisional Commissioner D Suresh’s residence in Civil Lines. They were stopped on their way by the police, but some parents managed to reach the residence, where they handed over a memorandum to him.
Though there have been sporadic protests against schools prior to this, this is the first time several parents' associations have come together to hold a joint agitation against a district official.
Senior officials of the education department will hold a meeting with all divisional commissioners of Haryana at the Panchkula head office to discuss the matter.
DK Mishra, a parent, told City Spidey, “We have handed over the memorandum to the divisional commissioner. He assured us of prompt action, but only time will tell how sincere his promises are. Private schools are wringing us dry, and the management refuses to listen to us.”
Ajay Chauhan, another parent, said, “Private schools are running like corporate houses. Their main aim is to earn profits, and not impart education. There is no check on them. It will be difficult for a common man to give his kids a decent education if this is the way things continue. Schools are, in fact, using our money to expand.”
“The school managements are behaving like dictators, and the education department has become a mute spectator of this. The government is doing nothing to stop them,” complained another parent, Yashesh Yadav.
The divisional commissioner said, “We will look into the matter. Proper action will be initiated against the schools, if they are found guilty.”
