Pressure builds on school over fee hike decision

Gurgaon: Parents of Delhi Public School Ghaziabad (DPSG) in Palam Vihar met the sub-divisional magistrate on Wednesday to discuss the issue of fee hike, which has created an uproar in Gurgaon recently. Parents had met SDM Bharat Bhushan on April 29, when he had directed both the school management and parents’ bodies to meet again on May 3, to find a way to resolve the crisis.
Agitating parents told TOI that Bhushan assured them of a “sincere response”. “We met him today. The SDM was supposed to take a final call on the issue. We reached his office around 10am. But the school management wasn’t there. They violated the SDM’s orders,” said Yashesh Yadav, a parent. “He has summoned us and the school management again on Monday, to take a final call. In case the school management doesn’t come again, a warrant will be issued against them,” said Yadav.
A DPSG official, though, said he did meet the SDM, but after the parents had left, as he was late.
Bhushan termed the fee hike by the school “arbitrary”. “I will ask the school why action shouldn’t be taken against them, as they had violated laws,” Bhushan said. He added the state was entitled to place reasonable restrictions against the school for it. “I spoke to the director of education as well on this,” he said. “Though it is his jurisdiction, I will try to do my best to resolve the issue within my capacity.”
Bhushan said he had also apprised divisional commissioner D Suresh on the matter. “For me children are most important,” Bhushan said. “I will give the school ample opportunities to justify the fee hike. But personally, I believe the hike is exorbitant. Parents should have got enough time to deliberate. They were notified just before the start of the new session.”
Meanwhile, starting next week, parents will take out ‘Shav Yatra’ rally carrying ‘dead bodies’ of leaders including Prime Minister Modi, as a symbolic gesture to “mourn their dead conscience”.
Ramesh Rana, president, All India Parents Forum for Education, said, “We have over 300 parents on board. We will start from Civil Lines, which will become our standard point for all future demonstrations,” said Rana.
DPSG principal Deepika Sharma rubbished allegations that the school management hadn’t showed up at the SDM’s office. “N M Bhatia, who represented DPSG, had gone there to meet the SDM. He was late as he got stuck in traffic, but he eventually met the SDM, and later even spoke to the media.”
Sharma also appealed to the press against “misinterpreting” facts.