The erratic functioning of private schools is again under the scanner in Madhya Pradesh as one such establishment couriered a class 3 student’s transfer certificate after his father objected to holding of online classes against norms.
School education minister Inder Singh Parmar on Tuesday told a delegation of parents that the school has been asked to reply on the incident, failing which the recognition certificate of the school will be revoked.
Amit Sikarwal, who runs a collection agency in Indore and also works as a social activist, had admitted his son in the private school this year.
As the lockdown set in, the school enrolled the class 3 kid in online classes against the wishes of Sikarwal who claimed that holding online classes for kids below class 5 was illegal in Madhya Pradesh. He also accused the school of charging exorbitant fees for May and June despite physical classes being defunct.
As the issue heated up, the angry school administration allegedly sent the transfer certificate of Sikarwal’s child via courier in June.
The school purportedly blamed him for defaming the organisation on social media while Sikarwal claimed that he had only opposed online classes and the school forcing parents to buy uniforms and books from pre-specified shops.
Sikarwal even claimed that at the behest of the school, as many as 7-8 other private schools too declined to admit his son for one reason or another. His complaints to the district education officer and joint director (education) too did not bring any results, he said.
“The school, DEO and joint director also pressurised me to withdraw the complaint,” said the upset parent who recently took part in an ongoing dharna of parents’ associations against errant private schools at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for two days.
Acting DEO Sanjay Goyal told News18 on the phone that he was busy in election duty but maintained that he would seek details of the case from his office. On being asked about the private school’s behaviour, the officer said if the complaint is genuine, the organisation will be punished.
Joint director Manish Verma told News18 over the phone that the school’s action wasn’t in line with the Right to Information Act which specifies that no child can be handed over a TC without consent. A kid can’t be punished for the acts of his parents, added the officer, who didn’t respond to questions on the school allegedly holding online classes and specifying shops for buying uniforms and books.
“If the parents are facing trouble in the admission of the child, I will help them out,” said Verma, adding that the school is ready to take the kid back.
However, some families led by Parents Welfare Federation national head Barat Patwa on Tuesday called on school education minister Inder Singh Parmar in Bhopal who informed them that the matter was in his knowledge and he has held back the recognition certificate of the school which has been sent to the Centre as a probe is underway.
If the school doesn’t offer a convincing reply, its recognition certificate will be revoked, the parents said in a statement quoting the minister. The minister, asking the parents to forward complaints to his office and the Indore collector, assured them that the child concerned will be offered admission in another school as soon as possible.
Despite several attempts, no response was available from the school.
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