East Delhi school faces an exodus after big fee hike

New Delhi, March 29 2012, DHNS:
Principal says all schools in city increase charges from new session

More than 250 parents have withdrawn their wards names from St Lawrence School in Gandhi Nagar, east Delhi complaining of enormous fee hike. The school authorities cite reasons such as smart classes, property tax and new construction for the hike.

Qiaser Javed, president of the Lawrence School parents welfare association, blames the management for being inconsiderate towards parents’ concerns.

“The management is rude and not willing to answer any questions about regular fee hike by nearly Rs 1,500 every quarter, since January 2011. Parents are now paying Rs 20,000 per child for the April-June quarter. We have filed a petition in the High Court against the school’s malpractices,” he said.

Sanjay Pandey, another parent who has two children studying in class III and VII alleges that the school forces parents to agree with their terms of fee hike.

“If we do not agree with their terms, the authorities ask us to take transfer certificates. We know one parent who was given a fee bill of Rs 60,000 for the last quarter for his three children studying in this school. He decided to take a TC and has been running around from one school to the other to get his children’s admission,” he said.

Parents allege that despite the fee hike “better facilities” are not provided at the school.

“They have changed my ward’s grades in the report card for many subjects. We have proof that my child got an A but in the report card, the teacher has given him a B. Why? Because I raise my voice against unnecessary hikes every quarter,” said a parent. He is among those 250 parents who have withdrawn their children from the school.

In some other cases, the school is allegedly nudging students to leave. At least 100 students have not been given their fee slips.

“They have not even given books, school uniforms and stationery for these children when their classmates have received their due. The school has asked these parents to withdraw their child from the school without giving a proper explanation for the absurd demand,” added Pandey.

Sandhya Narang, principal of St Lawrence school rubbished the allegations saying the school cannot compel students to stay.

“If parents give me transfer certificates, I cannot force them to stay. And fee hike cannot be a reason for leaving the school. All schools in Delhi hike their fees from the new session which begins in April,” she said.

Also, the school has started taking new admissions to fill vacant seats created by this massive withdrawal.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/238258/east-delhi-school-faces-exodus.html