Hyderabad: Private schools tell parents to sign no protest' pact or leave

Hyderabad: Private schools in Hyderabad are reacting to protests against the school fees hike but their new steps could further anger parents.

After the recent controversy and protests by parents over the forcible issuing of transfer certificates to some students by the Amrita Vidyalayam, Secunderabad, the school has decided to make parents sign an MoU before they get their wards admitted to the school.

In the agreement, which is to be signed by parents, out of their “free will”, they must agree that they will never participate in any protest which would disturb peace on campus, affect school functioning and that they are fully conscious that the fee structure of school is reasonable and fair and that they will abide by any decision taken by school management.

Some other schools in Hyderabad, including Chirec International School, are also getting their parents sign on such agreements. Recently, Chandrasekhar Vasireddi, Chairman of Esperanza, a well-known chain of pre-schools issued letters to its parents in which he did not mince words. He wrote that Esperanza was a private company and not an institution associated with any government regulatory body.

The note also read: “You know what we are and what we do everyday. If you respect it and if you can afford us, stick with us. If you cannot afford us, then there are other options for you.”

It further said that though there has been a fee hike of 20-21 per cent due to introduction of “Auxiliary Fees”, it will remain 9-12 per cent for the period 2013-14 to 2017-18.

The letter said that some sections of parents may try to instigate others to protest against this fee hike and advised them not to join the protesters — the intention of whom was “to exert force on the management to reverse their decisions, particularly now to remove or reduce the Auxiliary Fee amount”.

Rising costs of student material, multiple field trips, multiple school events, mineral water, food, rising electricity bill, rising building rentals by 12 to 20 per cent and rising Employee salaries by 12 to 15 per cent were given as reasons for fees hike.

Ashish Naredi, Executive Member of Hyderabad Schools Parents’ Association, said, “That the schools are doing so is a sign of the scant regard they have for laws. And this is supported by inaction on part of the government. How then can schools be allowed to take such an undertaking from parents?”