HC comes to aid of SC schoolkids denied entry on fee issue

Updated on: Thursday, November 17, 2011

Coming to the rescue of three socially and economically backward children, allegedly denied entry into classrooms due to non-payment of fees, the Madras High Court has directed the schools to permit them to attend classes and recover the fees from the Tamil Nadu government.

In his order on petitions filed by daily wage earners K Sivakumar and P Mohan, both belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar also directed state authorities to supply free books and uniforms to the three students.

While Sivakumar's son Latchumana Kumar is a class I student in a school at Veppur in Cuddalore district, Mohan's sons M Vishnu and M Sathya are studying in classes VI and IV respectively at Thandalam, Thiruporur in Kancheepuram district.

The petitioners alleged that their children were not allowed to enter their respective classrooms as they had not paid the school fees.

They were also not provided with free uniforms and textbooks as announced by the state government, they claimed.

The petitioner's counsel M Pari contended that under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RCFCE) Act, every child up to 14 years was entitled to get free and compulsory education at the nearest school, even if they were unaided schools.

Children belonging to disadvantaged groups and weaker sections had also been mentioned in the legislation for the purpose of free education, he said and claimed that the Tamil Nadu government had not issued directions to unaided managements to reserve 25 per cent of the strength to weaker sections without collecting any fee.

The court has posted the matter for November 21.

HC comes to aid of SC schoolkids denied entry on fee issue

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