Not paid hiked fee, Jaipuriya School bars over 50 students from attending classes

Ghaziabad: A contingent of parents gathered outside Jaipuriya School in Vasundhara area of Ghaziabad, on Friday, protesting against the arbitrary fee hike. Parents said that the school management had stopped over 50 students from entering their classes for not paying the raised fee, on Thursday, while these students were forced to wait in the library and their parents were informed to take their ward back home.

The agitated parents demanded a rollback of the fee hike decision and raised slogans against the school administration. They were averted by the security guards while a minor scuffle broke out between them. Further the parents went to the Indirapuram police station, along with their kids and demanded police to intervene into the matter.

During the protest, the parents alleged that the school hiked its fee on the name of annual charges. They have demanded an explanation from the school citing the decision to be against the orders of District Fees Regulatory Committee (DFRC).

"The action of the school to not allow students attend classes is against the fundamental rights of the children and the administration must ensure that students are not punished in this way in the matter of fee hike," said Shivani Jain, President of All Schools Parents Association and a member of DFRC committee.

Meanwhile, one of the parents said that the matter is in the court while such a hike is unjust before court's order.

"Since the court has not taken any decision in the matter, the parents had made fee payments as per previous year. We will accept the order from honourable high court and would have adjusted the amount after that. It's really very pathetic that the school is doing such a treatment with small kids which will hamper their future as well," said a parent.

Also, the protesters demanded that the school share the details of expenses. Some parents have also written to the director, school education department. "We are planning to approach district education officials to obtain Form 6 which has details of the fee structure and finances of schools. Further, we will meet the Fee and Fund Regulatory Committee, demanding a fee audit if we find any irregularities in the form," echoed the parents.

The agitated parents then met Ghaziabad administration officials and also requested the district inspector of schools (DIOS) to intervene.

DM has ordered District Inspector Of Schools (DIOS) to probe the matter and file a report within two days. "The matter is under consideration while we have written to the school administration to present a report by Saturday morning justifying the fee hike and a record of fee payed by the parents. A report will be sent to the District Magistrate, who is also the chairperson of DFRC committee, and further actions will be taken by her," said Pankaj Pandey, DIOS, Ghaziabad.