School in trouble over character certificate row

Updated on: Saturday, April 09, 2011

The school education department on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to the Andheri school which had asked its class tenth students to submit an undertaking of good behaviour.

“Andheri’s Prime Academy will have to withdraw the circular in the next two days or a complaint will be forwarded to the state government. The next step will be to revoke the school’s No-Objection Certificate (NOC),” said education inspector S Pawar.

The school director had sent out a notice to all class tenth students to procure an undertaking sworn by their parents before a magistrate’s court. Students were also threatened that they would not be registered for the new academic year if they failed to produce the undertaking.

“On Thursday morning, a teacher visited every division of class tenth and announced that Friday was the last day to submit the undertaking. If the students failed to comply, the school threatened to take action against them,” claimed a parent requesting anonymity. However, school director Chaula Joshi rubbished the claim calling it “a mere allegation.” “We have not decided to take any action as of now,” said Joshi.

Incidentally, the ICSE council is waiting for parents to lodge a complaint with its officials. “Once the parents approach us directly, we can take some action. We have never asked schools to seek such undertakings from students. I don’t know they (the school) have come up with such an absurd demand.” said an ICSE council official.

Another Demand?

Aparent has claimed that Byculla’s St Mary’s School too has sought a character certificate from his son. “The school has linked students’ internal assessment with disciplinary issues and has cut their marks,” said Xavier Luis, whose son on Thursday morning was allegedly asked to produce a “good conduct” undertaking from the magistrate’s court . Luis is now planning to lodge a written complaint with the ICSE Council. Despite repeated attempts, school officials refused to comment.

School in trouble over character certificate row

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