Chennai: The classrooms of Bala Vidya Mandir School in Adyar wore a deserted look on the first day of school after parents decided not to send their children to classes on Thursday. The boycott was in response to Wednesday’s dismissal of the school’s chief educational officer as well as the changing of its principal, which parents and teachers claim was an arbitrary act by the management, even as a new head of school assumed charge.
While action inside the school premises was largely confined to a press conference addressed by S. Sujata, the new principal, it was outside the gates that the real action took place.Teachers, parents, alumni of the school and several students of the current batch all stood united, from 8 am in the morning and decried the management policies.Flanking two sides of the narrow 4th main road in Gandhi Nagar, their collective voice resonated with the message that the school was not a commercial venture and that it was high time the direction of the decades-old school is set right.
A parent, who accompanied his standard 10 daughter, said the management committee of the school can’t tolerate criticism, which was shown in the sacking of the student-friendly CEO and principal.“At the time of admission of my daughter, the school management asked me to give in writing that I won’t post any adverse comment about the school on social media!” he said.
Even as the parents held fort outside the school, Mrs Sujata, the newly appointed principal, said the school management committee would be re-constituted. Responding to queries on the old principal, Mr Srinivasa Raghavan, Sujata said Mr. Raghavan was not removed but only transferred to another BVM school. “As far as the fee issue is concerned, it has been decided to adhere to a common fee structure as prescribed by the fee determination committee,” she said. Meanwhile, at a meeting involving parents and teachers held later in the evening, it was decided to demand the reinstatement of the principal.
DSE holds enquiry on fee issue
A preliminary enquiry, looking into the issue of excess fee being collected by the school, was held at the directorate of school education (DSE) on Thursday. Representatives from the parents' side, including former principal, Mr R. Srinivasa Raghavan, as well as from the management, a sole lawyer, met Mr S. Karmegam, the joint director of school education.
Speaking to DC, Mr Karmegam said he held a preliminary enquiry which would be followed by a detailed enquiry probing all aspects in the next few days. Sources at the DSE said there would be a field-visit of the school to ascertain all claims. After that, a report will be presented to Justice S.R, Singaravelu.
In its initial hearing last month, the Justice S.R. Singaravelu fee determination committee ordered the school to refund the excess fee to the parents. The next hearing is scheduled for June 9.
