Parents are concerned about the proposed divisional fee authority
Nagpur: Although the school education minister of Maharashtra has promptly assured the establishment of an appeal committee for conflicts between parents and schools, many doubt its practical implementation. Parents from six to seven Nagpur CBSE schools have tried to organize themselves under a common banner, to give themselves additional influence in school management disputes.
Girish Pande, a group member who calls himself ‘ Jagrut Palak Parishad (Aware Parents Council),’ said there are some fundamental issues that could lead to the failure of successful initiatives. “It is obvious as of now that parents will not be included in such committees. If stakeholders are not part of those committees, they will never achieve their goal, “Pande said.
He was part of the group that met on Monday with district collector Ravindra Thakre about the issue of school fee hikes, and education department inaction. Pande said, “Another issue is that you need the approval of 25 percent parents, who can approach as a collective of affected parties, to take the matter before a committee.
In the rules regulating appeals boards, I think the same rule will apply. “Only scholars who support the cause of the parents feel that the new initiative can become a toothless tiger. Sapan Nehrotra, Shikshak Bharti’s divisional secretary, said the interests of the parents must be protected at all costs.
“Parents are at the mercy of school management at the moment, because they fear for their children. There is always a concern that their children will be ill-treated at school or failed in Std IX later, which may be harmful to the future of the child, “said Nehrotra, who had accompanied the parents to meet with collector Thakre.
The best way out, he claims, is to amend the Maharashtra Fee Regulation Act itself. “Either scrap it or substantially change it to ensure parents are motivated. Otherwise, we just do ornamental research by launching programs that will never thrive at ground level, “Nehrotra said.
