Bengaluru school issues transfer certificates to seven students over fee dispute

The standoff began in 2018, but the school’s action comes after some parents not paying fees for four years, alleging the fee structure lacks government nod. Around 10 students have been stopped at the gate since February.

The parents approached the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) complaining of rights violations and retaliation for voicing concerns.

Citing that authorities have dismissed the parents’ allegations, the school decided to issue TCs to the seven students as warnings to pay fees were unheeded. “The school has taken a final decision, in concurrence and strong recommendation the school Parents Teachers Association, to remove the names of the children of these 7 chronic defaulters from our school records and issue TC to them. We had to arrive at this strict decision as the parents have proved to be irresponsible and have failed to fulfil their duty towards their children’s education. In doing so, these parents themselves are denying the children their right to education. Not to forget that no service comes free of cost,” the school stated.

Parents have raised issues like underqualified teachers, nepotism in appointments, capitation fees and lack of fee transparency. But the school said out of 25 protesting parents, 18 have resolved matters by paying fees or taking TCs without payment.

Parent Balagopal Shenoi, whose Class 7 child is barred, wrote to the Commissioner of Public Instruction seeking action for violations.

In his letter dated July 31, he highlighted that the education authorities are refusing to give any written orders despite flagging the violations done by the school. “Instead of enforcing law the deputy director of public instruction (North) is brokering compromise settlements with parents by coercing us to withdraw the complaint and succumb to the illegal demands of the school,” the letter read.

Parents now want students reinstated, the school’s NOC withdrawn, and documents like original marks cards and migration certificates released.

The school in a press statement said, “A few parents including Mr. Balagopala Shenoi, Mr. John Jairaj and Mr. Chandrashekar Reddy are desperate to tarnish the school’s image. Mr. Balagopala Shenoi and Mr. John Jairaj have got their elder children to complete schooling with us without paying a single rupee towards the school fees for three complete years. Their children are in college now. They intend to repeat the same with their younger children’s education too.”

The school also added that, “Ours is a private unaided school. Our financial sustenance is based on the fees we collect. According to the government order passed on 18th May 2018, which came into effect from the academic year 2019-2020, we have been collecting fees within the permitted range. In fact, our fee structure is much lesser and much more reasonable in comparison with the other schools of similar standards as us. This fact is available to the public to verify.”