Coimbatore: Irate parents of students of Amrita Vidyalayam in Ramasamy Nagar Extension II, Nallampalayam, petitioned the district collector on Monday, urging his intervention to ensure that they were not forced by the school management to purchase accessories sold by the school. Since the last academic year, the school introduced a new rule that parents have to necessarily purchase accessories like a school bag, socks and shoes, among others, only from the school.
"We raised our concerns regarding this last year and the management promised that from the next academic year, the matter will be discussed at a parent- teacher meeting before the issue is resolved. No meeting was called for and I am forced to pay a sum of Rs. 5,000 for accessories for my child," S. Raghunathan, one of the parents whose son studies in class IX of the school said.
Another parent said, "last year we paid Rs. 2,500 for books. This academic year, the school has asked us to pay Rs. 5,000 for the same. We are ready to pay the amount but are being forced to pay another Rs. 5,000 for accessories which are of sub-standard quality. This is nothing but fleecing, ahead of the new academic year."
Most parents do not know how the school will react as they have not paid the accessories fee. Negotiations with the school on the issue have failed. The fee for accessories that the school collects, varies on the grade the child is admitted to.
On receiving the petition, the district collector, Sri K Rajamani, promised that the Education department will look into the matter and sort out the issue soon.
