Parents file complaint against Pollachi school for demanding excess fees

COIMBATORE: Around 25 parents of children studying at Bharath Vidhya Nikketan School in Pollachi submitted a petition to the office of the inspector of matriculation schools here on Thursday alleging harassment of their wards for not paying the excess fees demanded by the school.
This is the second incident of harassment by a private school reported in this week.
The parents in their petition had attached a list of 53 students from LKG to class 11 who had not paid the excess fees demanded by the school.
The parents alleged, “The school has also issued a circular which says that there are a list of special classes or activities that will be organized during the curricular periods (9.30am to 4.30pm), and these 53 students will not be allowed to sit for these classes.”
T Muthukumar, one of the protesting parents, said, “According to the government regulations, all extra-curricular activities and special classes are supposed to be held after the school hours. Conducting special classes during curricular hours and harassing our kids by separating them from other kids are unacceptable.”
He added, “We want the school education department to ask the school organize classes for subjects prescribed in the syllabus during the curricular hours.”
According to the Justice Singaravelu Fee Determination Committee’s documents uploaded on the school education department’s website, the annual fees prescribed for the academic year 2015-16 for LKG to Class 12 ranges from Rs 9,075 to Rs 17,134.
The parent of a Class 5 student said, “According to the fee committee report, the annual fees for Class 5 is Rs 10,035. But the school has already collected Rs 10,300 as fees in the first and second term itself Rs 10,300.”
A copy of the fee receipts and a petitions they have submitted are with TOI.
The inspector of matriculation schools, R Vanaja who is away for official work, said, “When I return, I will hold an inquiry with the school regarding the matter. Based on the inquiry, the next steps will be taken.”
A similar case of harassment was reported in Coimbatore earlier this week. The management of Stanes Anglo Indian School allegedly told the parents that their kids would not be allowed to attend classes if they failed to pay the excess fees.