The most expensive hobby classes ever!

Primary school demands that parents shell out Rs 40,000 a year so their children can learn simple things like art and craft, swimming

DIPTI SONAWALA

Imagine being forced to cough up Rs 40,000 a year so that your child could learn to swim and dance. That’s the exact predicament of hundreds of parents who had their children admitted to the primary section of R N Podar CBSE School at Santacruz for the next academic year.

In a circular issued last week, the school declared that all new students of standards one, two and three must enrol for one sports hobby (including skating, swimming, basketball, karate, tennis, etc) and one classroom hobby (including elocution and drama, art and craft, computer graphics, folk and western dance, etc) – and pay Rs 20,000 for each. The fees were to be paid in full by April 27, and the classes will commence from July 2009.

Parents say they had earlier asked the school to make the classes optional, but in vain. “A circular was issued to us on April 24, after granting admission, which states that one sports hobby and one classroom hobby is compulsory for students of classes one to three,” said a parent who has already paid for the classes.

“This is as good as asking for donation,” fumed another parent. “Since they cannot do that directly during admissions, they want parents to shell out money as fees towards hobby classes.”

The parents then approached the NGO Forum for Fairness in Education, and on April 27, the forum sent a letter to the school asking them to stop collecting such hefty fees.

It also suggested that the hobby classes be made optional and that a refund should be issued to those who do not wish to opt for the classes.

“But the school has not done anything towards resolving this issue,” said Jayant Jain, Forum for Fairness in Education. “Hence we will have to take legal action against the school for collecting money towards capitation fee.”

School authorities however maintain that they have done no wrong. Vice Principal Sunita George said, “Hobby classes are compulsory only for new students, that too for just one year. For existing students, it is optional. So far we have neither issued any circular nor collected fees for the same.”

In a circular issued last week (right), the primary section of R N Podar CBSE School at Santacruz, declared that all new students of Class I, II and III to enrol for one sports hobby and one classroom hobby.