Pune:
If the controversy over his arrest in the Commonwealth Games scam and expulsion from Congress party wasn't enough, Suresh Kalmadi has a fresh trouble staring at him closer home.
Parents of children studying at Dr Kalmadi Shamrao School, of which the scam-scarred leader is a trustee, are irked over a notice that proposes to increase school fees by 70 per cent to Rs 28,000 in two years.
According to parents, the notice, sent a couple of weeks ago, states that owing to escalating costs of education and increased salaries of teachers as per the Sixth Pay Commission, the school needs to hike the fees.
However, the notice adds that keeping in mind the convenience of parents, the hike would be done in phases over a period of two years. While the school claims that this move is in the interest of students, parents are far from convinced.
"The total hike over a period of two years is Rs 11,000. Existing fee is Rs 17,000, which means the hike is more than 70 per cent. How can the school think of hiking fees by such an astronomical proportion on a short notice?" wondered a parent of a standard III student.
Parent of a standard VI student alleged that the hike was merely to fill the coffers of school management. "Maybe Kalmadi isn't satisfied with his crores of rupees that he amassed through CWG scam and now wants to loot middleclass parents. They say they consulted the Guardian-Teachers' Association, but why are they hesitant to call all the parents on a particular day. Maybe some parents could afford it, but many cannot. A 70 per cent hike is not a joke," said another parent.
A few parents even approached the school management with their complaints, but were told that the hike was essential.School principal Kamini Saxena confirmed that some parents had met her over the fee hike issue. "After hearing their grievances, we explained to them the reasons behind our move. The amount collected though fee hike will go in payment of teachers' increased salaries and improving facilities at the school. We were able to convince them and they also agreed to pay increased fees," she said.
When told many parents were angry over the fee hike decision and were planning to approach municipal authorities and the media, she said they should have come to her. "If they would have come to us, we would have convinced them too," she said.