South Kashmir schools force parents to pay fee for Sep, Oct
Anantnag, March 7, CNS: After Srinagar city, it is now South Kashmir schools which force parents to pay fee for the months of September and October, which was waived off by the court in view of the recent devastating floods in the Valley. Parents of students of Radiant Public School, Oxford Public School and St. Lukes Convent School in Anantnag Saturday alleged that these schools violated the orders of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court by forcing them to pay fee for the months of September and October.
They are not demanding the fee for these two months but have been also denying roll number slips to class 10th students from whom these schools also demand the fee for winter vacations.
These schools asked us to pay the fees and transportation charges for the two months, warning that otherwise the students will face action.
We had gone to these schools to collect winter assignments for our children. But the school management did not provide us the same, and asked us to clear the fee for the months of September and October, the parents said adding that they had no option but to pay the fee and they did the same as the school authorities told them that they have not received any written order from the High Court in this regard.
There is hardly any stratum of the society that has not been affected by the September floods and these schools that forced us to pay fee for the months of September and October actually crossed the limits of conceit and selfishness, the parents added.
Pertinently, soon after floods, the court, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), had directed the schools in Kashmir not to charge any fee from the students in view of the devastating floods that hit the Valley in the first week of September. After reports that schools were demanding fee from the students, the J&K High Court had also issued notice to 59 schools and had asked them to explain reasons for charging tuition fee and bus fare for the months of September and October.
When contacted, St. Lukes School told CNS that they have not received any notice from the High Court. We have to pay salaries to our staff and where will that money come from? he said that the school has its own rules and, we know how to manage the affairs of the schools.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Rohit Kansal said that that the administration will take to task any school found violating the court orders or directions issued by the School Education Department.
There is no question of tolerating the violations. Action will be taken against the erring schools, Chief Education Officer Anantnag Ghulam Rasool said. (CNS)
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