Kakinada: Schools promote students in bid to hold them back

Kakinada: Some private schools from East Godavari have started holding examinations very early for students from Class I to X and promoting the students to the next standard, violating the norms. The schools have also been forcing students and parents to pay the fee for the first term in next academic year.

By doing so the schools seem to be trying to ensure that the students should continue in the same school. According to sources, the schools have been holding parent-teacher meetings where they are being informed that their children have scored good marks and they should continue in the school. The management have been giving an application form to parents to be filled in which declare that they agree to continue their wards' studies in the same school.

"The school managements are not giving enough time to the parents to think or assess their children's progress. They are insisting us to buy books and stationery for the next standard and pay the first instalment. If we want to oppose it, they say that if the parents don't want to continue in their school, they should immediately quit the school," said a parent.

He said that the school managements were playing mind-game with the parents to force them to continue their children in the same school.

Meanwhile, the schools increased fees structure from 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the existing fees. He said that they are also forcing the parents to purchase text books and note books from their schools and are giving home work for the next standard.

According to a psychologist, the school managements are not bothered about the development of the student except their business. He said that the students should give relax from the academic studies and give time to them acquiring other knowledge and sports. Otherwise, they may become like a machines, he said.

Meanwhile, District Education Officer S. Abraham warned the school managements of serious consequences if they try to promote students to the next standard. He said that Class I to IX examinations have not been conducted yet. The Board Examinations would be held from April 15 to 23 and later, the schools would be reopened in June. Until  then, the students should not be taught next standard and he also advised the parents not to pay the fees, books and others. If the parents lodge complaint with Education Department by submitting their fees receipts or any other evidence, the respective schools would be de-recognized and closed and stringent action would be taken against them.