Parents cry foul over differential fee structure, hold protest outside JBCN International School

JBCN International School, Borivali (W), is drawing parents' ire for what they call preferential treatment to few students, who took admission in 2010, the year this school was founded. 46 students who got admitted to the school in the first year of its establishment is called the 'pioneer batch' by the management. The angry parents have accused the school management of biased regulations against the other students who were admitted in the following years to the school. The school as per the parents charges them almost 70% higher fee compared to the 'pioneer batch'.

The school charges the ‘pioneer’ batch an annual fee of Rs 66,600, while the ‘non-pioneer’ batch is being asked to pay Rs 1,16,450, annually. Several parents opposed the decision and protested outside the school’s premises. Varsha Soneja’s son Shabd is a student of class one in the school. She said, “How can parents of one child be asked to pay Rs 66,600 as fees while that of another child are being asked to pay Rs 1,16,450. This, even as both students are being allowed to access the same kind of facilities?” The protesting parents have urged the education department to intervene in the matter to ensure that such discrimination does not flourish.

Apart from the two vastly differing fee structures, parents are also up against various kinds of fee deemed compulsory by the school administration. As per the parents, the school is charging Rs 23,000 as stationary and uniform fees apart from a mandatory magazine subscription at Rs 1,600, per year which is too much. Parents also alleged that the school is charging them Rs 100, per day, as penalty for paying the fees late, not Rs 1 as mandated by the Right To Education Act.

Rajesh Desai, a parent and general secretary, Janhit Kaksha, said, “We have been talking to the school management for the last eight months but no solution has come out so far. We have decided to take the support of a strong organisation and are holding peaceful protests outside the school premises as of now.”

The parents will hold another meeting on February 2 with the school management and the state education department to resolve the issue. The school did not respond despite several attempts to contact officials.

For the longer version of this report, click here