Maharashtra inept at handling edu
Academicians and activists alike have decried the inability of the state education department in curbing the high-handedness of schools that are involved in commercialisaton of education as well as exploitation of parents by charging exorbitant fees. In fact, activists have gone a step ahead and said that if aggrieved students have to approach the courts for justice, the education ministry should be dissolved as it has failed to carry out its duties of safeguarding the interests of the students.
On receipt of a written complaint from the parent of a 12-year-old student who was expelled by a South Mumbai school for non-payment of fees demanded by the school towards uniforms, stationery and study material, Justices V.M. Kanade and M.S. Sonak observed that schools have become a money spinning racket and asked the school to reply to the allegations of the parent on July 11.
Speaking on the development J.M. Abhyankar, former chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education said, “This is an absolute shame on the part of the education department for failing to address the complaints of the parents and stop the high-handedness of the schools. There have been so many instances of schools resorting to arm-twisting tactics and on being questioned by the department, they resort to threats under one pretext or the other, as a result of which the students as well as parents suffer. However, the court take cognisance of the issue is setting a wrong precedent and if the education ministry fails to come up with a concrete action plan the courts will be inundated by such complaints,” said Abhyankar.
Jayant Jain, president of the Forum of Fairness in Education went a step ahead and demanded that the education department should be dissolved and the minister Vinod Tawde should resign due to his failure to run his ministry effectively.