COIMBATORE: The Manavarkalin Kalvi Urimaikana Koottamaippu (MKUK) has criticised on Monday's "hasty" inspection of private schools in Pollachi by School Education Department officials.
The schools' records were inspected in connection with the reimbursement of fees for admissions made to the free seats under the RTE quota and the repayment of fees collected from students admitted to these seats.
The MKUK said the officials were hurrying to meet their deadline of June 18 for submitting the reports.
The official team, led by the Assistant Elementary Educational Officer, conducted the checks a day after the Director of Matriculation Schools ordered Chief Educational Officers to form committees to verify fee reimbursement claims of private schools.
“They should have made inquiries with all parents separately to get a clear picture. There are 18 students studying under the RTE quota in a school in Nallappa Nagar, Mahalingapuram. But they talked only to parents of five children,” said an MKUK representative.
“One parent paid Rs 13,000 to the school last year to admit his child, though it was made under the RTE quota. During Monday's inspection, the school authorities returned only Rs 6,500 to him. The school authorities threatened the parents against disclosing the truth to the officials,” he said.
“In another violation of norms, some schools have asked the parents to submit letters stating that they have not paid any fees for admitting their children to the RTE quota seats,” he added.
Sources said that after receiving the letters, one school, located near a theatre, asked the parents to be present at the school on Monday morning, during the officials' visit. However, the officials came to the school on Monday evening. The parents came to know of it only later.
“I paid the school Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 each in the last two years. I demanded that the money be returned, but the school authorities cheated us by keeping us away from the Education officials during the visit,” said a parent.
“The officials should conduct proper inquiries with parents as the schools have cheated them. Many parents have not even been told that their children have been admitted to seats under the RTE quota and have paid large sums as fees to these schools,” said the MKUK representative.
