The Bala Vidya Mandir School has also removed its Principal and CEO, who sided with the parents.
After a public outcry over its high fees and accusations of "discrimination" between students, Chennai's Bala Vidya Mandir school has done a U-turn. But while the proposed dual fee structure has been abandoned, the school sacked the principal and the CEO who were seen as supporting the protesting parents.
Protests, continued today over the sacking and most parents did not send their children to school.
The management now says it will have one uniform fee system. "The school will implement the order of fee committee... We will implement a single curriculum, there will be uniform fee structure," said Sujatha, the newly appointed principal. She said it was not the school's intention to discriminate among students.
The school had come under the state authorities' scanner for demanding an annual fee of Rs. 60,000 for Classes 6 to 8, 67% more than what the state appointed fee determination committee had recommended.
When the parents objected, the school suggested that students whose parents cannot pay the extra fee, can attend the 4.5 hours of classroom sessions. They would not be eligible for inclusion in picnics, overseas exchange programmes, annual day programmes, and even basic necessities like school bus, canteen services and training to recognize and prevent child sexual abuse. Those who pay the full amount will get to choose from 59 extra-curricular activities and services..
Sources close to the school management had justified the excess fees in view of the huge overhead costs. The school has 150 teaching and non-teaching staff. The fee determination committee, they even indicated, had made a "wrong assessment".