FEE HIKE: CITY PARENTS TAKE PART IN STIR

A simultaneous protest was held across 20 cities, including Hyderabad, by parents associations under a common banner of ‘Mission Education Forum’ on Saturday, with the demand of a ‘School Fee Regulation Act’.

The protest in the city began with a silent prayer for Sai Deepthi, the 14 year-old who hanged herself on Thursday, due to harassment by her school authorities because of the inability of her parents to pay her examination fees.

HSPA, which has repeatedly tried to get the government’s attention to the school fee problem, said that the money-making attitude of private schools was disheartening.

It was also noted that despite being eligible for a Matric scholarship, Sai Deepthi could not benefit from it because the government does not conduct checks to see if every community is able to avail of the scholarships entitled to them.

Ravi Kumar, a parent, said, “I have heard of stories from parents who had to sell their gold to pay their child’s fees and also couples who decided not to have more than one child due to the exorbitant school fees they were currently paying.

“It is sad that we cannot produce a stronger India if our kids are burdened by the psychological troubles parents face in paying fees.” Another parent said, “Most parents, even from the lower strata, choose to send their children to private schools because there are few classes or teachers in government schools and they cannot pay the high fees, that are hiked on a yearly basis, driving many student to suicide.” Parents who gathered at the protest said that the Bangaaram (Gold) of Bangaaru Telangana was reserved for schools and politicians who were looting Telangana. The protest also raised demands for an immediate safety audit in schools.