As per Right To Education Act (2009), schools cannot punish the students physically or mentally in the matters related to fee payments.
The managing authority of Jaipuria School, located in Vasundhara, on Thursday stopped over 50 students from entering their classes for not paying the hiked fee of the 2018-19 session. The guardians of the students were informed about the decision and told to take their wards back home. Till then, all the students were made to wait in the library, parents alleged.
The parents rushed to the campus and resorted to sloganeering against the school for taking such an action. Following this, a minor scuffle broke out between the parents and the security guards of the school.
The parents said the move has come after the school had served notices to them asking for the payment of the April-June quarter, including due payment of the whole 2018-19 session. They claimed they have paid the total fees of 2018-19, taking the base year as 2015-16.
Talking to City Spidey on this issue, Mohammad Arshad, a member of Jaipuriya School Parents' Association said, "Since the matter is in the court and we understand that school needs money to function, parents decided to pay the fees as per previous year and would later adjust as per the court's order."
"The school even cleared more than 25 cheques given by parents, yet they harassed our children," Arshad added.
According to parents, the District Fee Regulatory Committee (DFRC) had ordered the school to refund the fees charged extra in the 2018-19 session. Also, they claimed the committee ordered the school to keep the fees of the upcoming session of 2019-20 same as the session of 2017-18.
"The school challenged DFRC's order in the Allahabad High Court and it granted a stay on the order till the next hearing, which is due on April 5," parents said.
"After the stay, the school hiked the fees without receiving approval from the DFRC which is mandatory under Uttar Pradesh Self Financed Independent School (Fixation of Fees) ordinance, 2018. The ordinance came into effect in February 2018," parents further alleged.
Priyanka Rana, president of DPS Indirapuram Parents' Association, whose school is also a petitioner against the DFRC order in the HC termed it as 'blatant defiance of the government order'.
The disgruntled parents, now, have made a written complaint to Ritu Maheshwari, the district magistrate (DM) of Ghaziabad, who also happens to be the chairperson of the DFRC committee.
DM has ordered the District Inspector Of Schools (DIOS) to probe the matter and file a report within two days.
"It is a matter of investigation. I have received a representation from the parents and the school. The school refuted the claims of parents and alleged them of not paying the fees of the whole 2018-19 session. I'll have to go through the records and crosscheck claims made by both the parties," said DIOS Pankaj Pandey.
Meanwhile, a notice would be served to the school asking justification of their action. "Denying access to the institution is a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the children. We would ask the school why action should not be taken against you according to laid acts and orders?" Pandey told City Spidey.
Shivani Jain, president of All Schools Parents' Association and a member of DFRC committee representing the parent's side, said the action being taken against the school is a half-hearted response. "The first thing the administration should have done was to make the school allow the children to attend their respective classes. The action of the school is against the fundamental rights of the children and the administration must ensure the students are not denied of their rights," she said.
On asking DIOS whether the school will be asked to permit the students to attend their classes, he responded in an ambiguous manner. "I'll ask the City Magistrate and will let you know," Pandey said.
City Spidey made several attempts to contact the school administration but our repeated calls and messages went unanswered.
