The order directed the school to refund the parents all the excess fees
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Chennai: As they walked out of the private schools fees determination committee’s (PSFDC) office, Asan memorial school’s parents’ association members yelled out “success” giving the rest of the parents standing outside a victorious “thumbs up”. After nearly 20 days of protests and agitations against the school management, Justice S.R Singaravelu passed orders on Monday favouring the parents.
The school had hiked pre-primary school fees from Rs 13,915 to Rs 62,000, which is nearly three times the PSFD committee’s prescribed amount. Hence, the order directed the school to refund the parents all the excess fees and donations charged by the school from the academic year 2013 till date. The school was also ordered to adhere by the committee’s prescribed fee structure henceforth.
The parents were glad that the PSFDC had delivered justice after days of protest, T. Kishen, president of the parents’ association said that they were indebted to their counterpart from Bal Vidya Mandir for helping them with the ‘know how’ of the legal procedures.
Smiling from ear to ear, Mr Dharmendar Rane, a parent said, “We’re all very pleased with the orders but this is only the first step. Till we get the actual money in our hands, we can’t stop pursuing the matter.” Another parent, Dhanasekhar S, complained that the school always insisted that all items like school uniforms, shoes and books be bought only from the school while charging high prices. So the parents said that they would next approach the CBSE board to figure out a solution to the issue.
When contacted, the school principal, Suma Padmanabhan, said that they were not going to make a statement till they received the orders in writing, notwithstanding the parents’ assertion that the school had admitted to charging excess fees.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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