24 August,2010 07:38 AM IST | | Alifiya Khan
Less than a week after reaching compromise, Rosary School goes back on word and asks parents to pay up
Fed up of Rosary School authorities' refusal to roll back hiked fees, parents of children studying in the school have decided to file a public interest litigation. The school has already approached the high court asking that it be allowed to hike fees.
"If the court doesn't rule in our favour, we will file a separate PIL and this time we will make the issue much larger than just Rosary School. At the same time, we have decided to intensify our protests," said Ajay Sathe, a parents' representative.
Three months ago, the school had doubled its fees, following which parents started protesting. On July 30, after protests that continued for 40 days, including a hunger strike, the school authorities accepted the instructions of the deputy director of the education board's to reduce fees and charge parents only as much as was required to pay teachers revised salaries and meet basic expenses.
But less than a week after reaching a compromise, the school authorities went back on their word. They sent letters to parents to pay the hiked fees by August 25. The school also approached the high court ensuring that the deputy director of the education board couldn't get involved any longer.
"This time we will intensify our struggle against the school. They are insulting us by sending forms that say those who cannot pay should apply for relief from school. But our fight is not just over the money but that they don't follow any norms and take parents for granted," said Nilesh Mahajan, a parent.
Besides filing a PIL, parents have decided to camp outside the homes of elected representatives and stage rasta rokos outside the school campuses.
School authorities refused to comment on the fee hike stating the matter was sub judice.
"We have given them an option. Those who cannot afford to pay the fees can fill a form and we might consider a fee revision for them. But they want to keep protesting," said C Balan, administrator of Rosary Schools.
