25 June,2010 10:14 AM IST | | Alifiya Khan
Cops called in as protests over school fee hike continue for 4th day
On the fourth day of protests by parents at various campuses of the Rosary School, a big drama ensued at the Camp branch.
Around 9 am, at least 150 parents gathered at the school and started shouting slogans against the school management. The parents demanded the school authorities meet them, but were restrained outside the school campus by securitymen.
As the situation got out of hand with protesting parents threatening to break into the premises, the school management had to request police protection from the Bund Garden police station.
Too much for police
"We came in around 9.15 am and, seeing the crowd's anger and increasing strength, we had to call in more policemen," said a constable.
When MiD DAY reached the school around 10.20 am, Senior Police Inspector Suhas Nadgouda from the Bund Garden police station was already there, trying to pacify the parents, who by then had managed to get half-way into the premises.
"In the circular sent to us in April, the school had informed us that it planned to hike fees by Rs 300. We have already paid the hiked fees, which is an increase of about Rs 600 per month. How can they do so at such short notice?" said one of the protesting parents. "Despite our protests, the management hasn't come to meet us. The authorities call us in individually and tell us to withdraw our children from the school if we can't pay the revised fees."
Signature campaign
The parents lined up tou00a0 sign a letter against the school authorities which they said would be presented to the deputy director of education board. Around 11.45 pm, the police finally managed to disperse the crowd.
A Rosary official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the decision to hike fees was justified and would not be taken back.
"On June 15, the high court passed a decision that until the court gives its order over fee hike, schools can hike their fees up to 50 per cent. We have hiked our fees in accordance with that order," he said. "We will not refund fees now. If the high court says no fee hike, we will decide on refunds."
The school authorities said that they are meeting the parents in batches.
President of PTA United Forum in Mumbai Arundhati Chavan said Rosary can hike its fees as the court has allowed schools to do so. "But if the final order says no fee hike, then they also have to refund the fees, the court has added," said Chavan.
