-Reshma Ravishanker
The Associated Managements of Private Schools in Karnataka has written to the additional chief secretary of the education department asking them to withdraw an order asking schools to issue transfer certificates to fee defaulter parents.
On November 25, 2021, the department of primary and secondary education had passed an order asking schools to issue transfer certificates to parents who have sought it within a seven-day period. Failing this, the Block Education Officers and Deputy Director of Public Instruction were asked to take action against the schools.
Private schools, which considered this order an easy way out for fee defaulting parents to escape without clearing their dues had approached the high court in this regard. Several other representations including asking parents to pay the discounted fee for the previous academic year without any delay were also made.
On January 4, hearing the matter, the Karnataka High Court asked the government not to take any coercive action against schools in regards to the transfer certificate issue. The official order was received on January 19, 2022, and as a reminder, the private schools have written to the ACS asking for the order to be withdrawn.
“The order is doing more harm than good. Parents are getting away without paying any fee. Previously, we also gave an example of one of the parents whose overdue were to the tune of Rs 6 lakh for a three-year period. Under the garb of this order, the parent approached the BEO, bribed him, and then had a notice served to the school. Similar incidents have been reported across the state,” said Shashi Kumar, general secretary, KAMS.
He also said that the association was only asking for what was rightfully theirs. “You cannot eat a meal at a private restaurant and walk away without clearing the bill. The same applies for private schools as well. We are only seeking that parents pay the discounted fee as ordered by the high court previously,” he said.
Also read:
Maharashtra: Transfer certificates not required for admissions to state-run & aided schools
NCDRC: School fined Rs. 50,000 for not issuing transfer certificate
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