BENGALURU: On Children’s Day, more than 200 parents from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) schools from Bengaluru and parts of the state, protested against schools allegedly collecting unreasonable fees.
The parents who gathered at Freedom Park, said they had no other go but make themselves heard, as there is an understanding that the state cannot interfere in the functioning of these schools unless it’s a matter of children’s safety. This comes at a time when students are denied access to online classes for not paying their second term fees. Nor are these institutions allowing them to pay the fees quarterly, parents allege.
“We are not fighters who want to go out on a protest,” said Ganesh Poojary, a parent whose son in grade two was cut off from online classes at a school in Chikkabanavara for non-payment of fees since September.“The concept of online classes started as a measure to maintain learning continuity and keep children mentally engaged and active,” said Poojary. But suddenly the whole focus was shifted to fees, denying mental health to the very same students, he added.
Another parent said the school where his child studies removed activity fee from the first term fees after he complained about it to authorities. But it was listed in the second term fees, he said. It was a shocker for parents who were seeking a 30-35 per cent reduction in fees since facilities were not being used.
Poojary said that while in private schools, all paraphernalia comes in by March, the CBSE school in which his child studies, the one textbook that the state government gives -- Kannada Kali -- comes in by August-September. Some parents said private schools were resorting to unfair practices by charging fees for facilities not used.
Parents signed a petition and will submit it to the government on Monday. Their grievances include increase in tuition fees, schools refusing quarterly payment of fees, charging for online portal access, demanding second term fees for uninterrupted classes.