Parents allege that except the education officer, no one has paid heed to their grievances.
The parents of students from St Joseph's High School in Panvel are sitting on a hunger strike to protest the fee hike and school's mismanagement. Sunday was the fourth day of their indefinite strike.
Parents allege that except the education officer, no one has paid heed to their grievances. The school authorities have ignored their pleas despite this being the second consecutive year the parents have protested in a similar fashion.
Gaurav Kadam, one of the parents sitting on the strike, said, "Not a single school official has visited the spot where parents are carrying out the strike. On Saturday, only the education officer met us and requested to call off strike. Our demands are just that the school stops hiking the fee every year and stop promoting a particular religion. Instead National Anthem, pledge, Constitution should be taught about in school."
According to the parents right now only six parents have sat on the strike and 100-200 have come out in support. Tomorrow onwards, two new parents will join the strike each day.
Sheshrao Bade, education officer primary, Raigad district, said, "The secondary education officer and me visited the school on Saturday to hear out the parents. We have told them that it is an unaided school so fee counter cannot be closed and because it is a minority school, the education department cannot interfere and stop it from promoting a particular religion. We requested parents to withdraw the strike till their meeting takes place with divisional fee regulation committee on 8th March which we have arranged for them."
"Our department has also sent recommendation to withdraw recognition of the school with the investigated report on the parents' complaints like the presence of non qualified teachers and harassment by the school for non payment of fees," Bade added.
Bade further said that at the meeting between school officials and parents held on Saturday, the school agreed to not harassing students for non payment of fees in future and include the reading of National Anthem, Constitution and pledge in school. But the parents refused to call off the strike.
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