Parents protest against smart class programme

Updated on: Monday, October 31, 2011

Parents of several students of St. Lawrence Convent School in Geeta Colony here have complained to the State Education Department asking for its intervention to stop what they claimed to be “serious psychological violence on hundreds of innocent children” by the school authorities in the guise of “smart class.''

Parents under the All India Parents' Association banner also met senior education officials this past week asking them to look into the matter.

All India Parents' Association national president Mr. Ashok Agarwal said: “The school has increased the fees in the mid-session in the guise of smart class in clear violation of Section 17 of the Delhi School Education Act, 1973, as the school has not obtained prior permission from the Directorate of Education for increasing the fees. Moreover, when the parents objected to the illegal action of the school, the school resorted to discriminate their wards by separating their classes. Even 41 economically weaker section students were not spared by the school as they were declined the facility of educomp.''

No response

“We have tried to speak to the school authorities on the issue but there has been no positive response from them. The school authorities are harassing the students and if no immediate action is taken to check it would leave a permanent scar on the innocent minds,'' said a parent.

“The school has implemented a new "smart class" programme and is charging Rs.400 per month per student. And from mid-October onwards the school authorities have divided students as ‘educomp students' and ‘non-educomp students' which means that students who have not paid for the "smart class" are not allowed to sit with their classmates for merely Rs. 400. This is despite the fact that all students have already paid their quarterly school fee. We want the education authorities to intervene on the behalf of the parents as the school has refused to listen to our plea,'' added another parent.

The school authorities have refused to comment on the issue.

Parents protest against smart class programme

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