Khadki: Protests against St Joseph Convent High School for forcing students to pay fees, buy books, uniforms

Pune : The Indian Republican Federation protested against St Joseph Convent High School in Khadki against the school’s diktat to students and parents to pay the fees and buy books and uniforms from a particular vendor. Activists of the Federation took out a protest march against the school management and registered their protest.

In wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, the education department of the state government has asked schools in the state to not pressurise or force the students or their parents to pay for the school fees. Education department officials have also asked schools to not pursue the books or uniform purchase from a particular vendor. However several schools are flouting these norms. Parents and other organisations have repeatedly filed complaints regarding this about many schools with the education department.

Feroz Khan, Pune District President of the Federation said, “The students from backward classes are not being admitted by the school despite the 25 per cent reservation provision. The school authorities are giving admission to students staying as far as 10 to 15 kilometres, but are refusing admission to students staying in 3 kilometre radius. Hence we protested against the arbitrary functioning of the school management.”

The Federation has also submitted a letter against the school to the Pune District Education Department officials. Office bearers of the Federation Mauli Sonawane, Madan Kothule, Fareed Shaikh, Ravindra Singh, Deepak Mane, Ashish Jadhav, Samadhan Gaikwad, Shakti Chandliya, Vishwanath Sarode, Thomas Joseph, Ravindra Lankeshwar and others participated in the protests.