What Delhi Minister Said On Row Over School's "Unapproved" Revised Fee

Delhi Education Minister Atishi has assured action will be taken after several parents of students of Delhi Public School (DPS) Dwarka complained against the institution.

Parents of at least 20 students have accused the school of not allowing their children inside classrooms and publishing their names on its official website over an "unapproved" revised fee.

"We will take action," she told reporters.

The parents say the action followed their refusal to pay the revised fee, which, they claim, was increased "without following Directorate of Education (DoE) norms".

The school, in a note for parents on its official website, said it "does not accept the fee rejection order of DoE for the academic session 2023-24." It added it was in the process of "taking all the remedial actions as per law. Hence, there is absolutely no question of fee refund".

An email accessed by NDTV shows DPS Dwarka notifying a parent that their child's name would be struck from records if the revised fee was not paid.

BJP MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat, meanwhile, has blamed Atishi for the "harassment". "Delhi Education Minister Atishi is responsible for the harassment of parents and children. She needs to enforce the compliance of the DoE order. She should realise that parents and children are hoping for some action from them," she said.

The parents have been accusing the school of harassing their children by demanding "unapproved" revised fee. "We have submitted numerous complaints since 2021 but got no relief," a parent said.

They also said that the public display of their children's names breached their fundamental right to personal space and privacy.

Some parents told news agency that the school management had hired bouncers in 2022 to stop children with outstanding fees from entering the school.

"They (school management) sent bouncers in school buses so that children cannot board the bus. Teen girls felt so uncomfortable travelling with bouncers who are more of a threat than a safety," a parent told IANS.

The parents also said the DoE has not taken any "concrete action so far".

"The DoE has continuously failed to get its order implemented. The DoE nominees are not even allowed to enter the school and they just remain mute spectators," another parent said.