Satvik Gokani will go back to his school.
The eight-year-old student of Bright Star Fellowship School near Gowalia Tank had to leave school after completing his first standard because of a dispute between the management and his parents over capitation fees.
Settling the tiff, the Bombay high court on Friday said that the power of forgiveness was the greatest power. Last year, Satvik’s father Amit Gokani moved the court after the Muliben Dulabhdas Trust managing the school refused Satvik admission in the second standard. Gokani alleged that the school had refused Satvik admission even in the first standard after he complained against the Rs10,000 capitation fee and got some other parents to protest against it.
In June 2007, the court directed the school to admit Satvik after the management clarified that Rs10,000 was a refundable deposit. But Gokani alleged that the school refused his son admission to the second standard saying Satvik’s uncle often created a ruckus on the school premises. And so it was impossible for the trust to let the boy continue with his studies in the school.
The judges on Friday asked both parties to stop accusing each other for the sake of the child’s education.
Advocates of the school and the parents agreed to the court’s suggestion. Gokani’s lawyer Owen Menezez told the court that they would withdraw the complaints against the school. Counsel for the school DD Madon told the court that Satvik would be allowed to study in the second standard and treated like any other child in the school.
The court, however, said schools could not compel anyone to use the bus service. This too was one of Gokani’s grouses. “What if someone wants to come in his own vehicle or just walk down to the school?” the court asked.
