HYDERABAD: Parents of students clashed with the police in Secunderabad on Tuesday, when the latter tried to halt their protest against the management of St. Andrew’s School in Bowenpally.
The parents claimed that the school management denied their children access to online classes as they had not paid the tuition fee. They demanded that their access be restored.
They further alleged that the school management had violated a provision of GO. 46, which prohibited schools from charging any fee except the tuition fee (every month) for this academic year.
“Earlier, the total fee of Rs 5,800 per month included tuition, infrastructure, computer, library, sports and admission. This year, the tuition fee alone was fixed at Rs 5,800,” said a parent, Kiran Kumar.
John, another parent, said, “The management has asked us to pay the fee for the months of April, May and June, even though no services for online classes were availed during the period. Many parents began paying the fee from June, as they always do. But the school management disconnected their children’s access to online classes. Besides that, is has been made mandatory for every parent to purchase textbooks and workbooks from the schools own stationery shop.”
The school management filed a complaint with the Bowenpally police against the parents’ protest. The police reached the spot and stopped the protestors from continuing their demonstration.
According to SHO C Anjaiah, the police have registered a complaint against the protesting parents for gathering en masse amid the pandemic.
However, they still have not taken the parents’ plaint against the school into account. “The police said the matter was legal and that we would have to contact the Directorate of School Education (DSE) or the HC,” said a parent.