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Parent files complaint against school, alleges harassment for school fees.
A complaint was filed by a EWS parent against a private school demanding fees even though his ward was admitted under the Land Allotment Scheme. The Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights has summoned the school authorities.
A parent approached the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Wednesday to complain against a private school over alleged harassment over non-payment of fee.
The complainant’s child has been admitted to the school under the land allotment scheme, which mandates private schools to teach 15% EWS children in every class. The complaint mentioned that the school has been demanding fees while the education department has recently exempt EWS students completely from paying school fees.
The Land Allotment Scheme in itself allows schools to charge nominal fees. In 2016, the education department had defined that nominal would mean equivalent to fees charged by government schools and under Right to Education Act, education is free till class VIII in government-run schools. This translates into private schools not being able to charge any fee from students studying under land allotment scheme.
The commission took cognisance of the complaint and has summoned the school authorities. The father of the child, who is studying in class V, had earlier complained on another occasion to the commission and district education officer in 2015, when the school had increased the nominal fees charged from EWS parents. At that time, the commission had taken an undertaking from the school that a maximum of ₹250 will be charged.
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