For calling off meet over school fee hike
Two parents’ groups, who were supposed to meet education minister Vinod Tawde and apprise him about the indiscriminate fee hikes rampant among Mumbai schools, were left fuming after the minister ‘refused’ to meet them.
The associations had sought an audience with Tawde for which they had taken appointments.
“We were shocked after the minister refused to meet us despite taking official appointments,” said Arundhati Chavan, president of Parents Teachers Association United Forum.
She alleged that Tawde only asked them to submit a list of schools accused of charging exorbitant fee.
“He sent us a message that he would call individual schools and their PTAS from next week to hear their concerns,” said Chavan. “But parents are not confident enough to stand up to the schools and the government alone. This will pressurise them into compromising.”
Another group, Parent of Private School of Maharashtra (POPSOM), fighting against commercialisation and financial exploitation of schools, wanted to meet Tawde and request amendments to the Maharash tra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Fee) Act, 2011.
“We were angry and disap pointed when Tawde refused to meet us even though we had taken an appointment,” said Anubha Sahai, member of POPSOM, adding that later she met him individually and sub mitted a list of errant schools.
She added that the school fee regulation Act needs to be amended immediately, as it is has loopholes. “Parts of the Act are unclear and flawed. Some of the penalties and actions sug gested are incorrect,” said Sahai.
Across Mumbai, parents are at loggerheads with schools over fee hikes. Another group has planned a day-long protest on May 21 to highlight about gov ernment inaction against schools.