-Dipta Joshi

The Bombay High Court has asked parents to pay the pending school fees before demanding access to online education for their wards. Hearing a petition filed by parents of two Mumbai-based schools on Tuesday, the Court directed the parents to submit their fee-payment proposal to their respective schools within two-days.

The bench of Justices Ramesh Dhanuka and Riyaz Chagla was hearing a plea filed by 28 parents against the IES Ash Lane Primary School and the IES English School. Both the schools belong to the  Indian Education Society (IES). The petitioners had complained 150 students from kindergarten to class IX were denied access to online education due to non-payment of fees.

The parents had also demanded the school set aside its fixed fees for the academic years 2020-21 and 2021-22 besides allowing parents a 50 percent discount on fees. The protesting parents have abstained from paying any fees for academic years 2020-21 and 2021-22. Citing financial and other hardship faced due to the pandemic, they have demanded the school waive off all other charges except the tuition fees.

Coming down heavily on the petitioners, the court asked, “According to you (parents), is nothing payable?” The court asked parents to pay something towards the school fees adding otherwise it would not be possible to allow their wards access to online classes. The parents can file a separate plea for access to online education once they start making payments towards  the school fees.

Also read: Private school fees status across India