Mumbai: The police had to be summoned to MN English High School in Siddharth Nagar, Goregaon West when the parents protested against the reported refusal of the management to provide them with leaving certificates and report cards of their children.
The parents have been making the demand for the past several days. On Wednesday, the parents decided to confront the principal Gunnita Malhotra who is allegedly refusing to provide leaving certificate (LC) and report cards of the students. The parents then summoned the police to rescue their children.
Parents alleged that their children were tortured and insulted
A parent, who spoke to Free Press Journal on condition of anonymity, said “The principal has been conducting herself in a high-handed manner. She makes children clean classrooms. Also, report cards are not being provided in time.”
"This is nothing but mental torture," he further alleged. The school management first asked the parents to clear all the fee arrears. However, it did not put any effect on the school authorities.
“We were also told that our children will not be allowed to appear for the final exams just because we were planning to shift to another school after the exams,” the parent added.
The group of parents that the FPJ spoke to, said that the principal apparently checked the bags of the children, making false allegations of stealing from them and even taunted them with problematic things about their parents, as a way to insult them.
"Our children kept crying every day after school and begged us to not send them back. I know education is important, but so is my child's life to me. Seeing this every day, we decided to change the school itself," the parent added.
Children were abducted in classrooms by school authorities
Earlier, when a group of 9 to 10 parents approached the principal, they alleged that the children were locked inside a classroom, refusing to let them go until the parents leave the school premises.
“We kept telling her to let the children go, and talk like adults but she kept on screaming which forced us to call the police," another parent said.
In the school's calendar, the name is given as GM International School with CBSE affiliation. However, the school fee receipt mentions the name of MN English High School, which has an SSC affiliation, a parent said. The parents are now planning to approach the state education department for help.
Non-cognizable complaint registered against school principal
The parents, collectively, called the Goregoan police who reached the spot to resolve the matter. "Our team, along with a woman constable was sent to school to look into the matter. We successfully managed to bring all the children from the classroom and handed them to their parents," said a police official.
The parents later visited the police station to lodge a complaint against the principal, however, only a non-cognizable complaint was registered.
FPJ spoke to accused school principal
Meanwhile, when the FPJ contacted the principal Malhotra, she said, “We have acknowledged all their requests and demands from our end. We are ready to give them whatever letter they want from us, as our children are more important to us. We are more than ready to sit and have a conversation with them to listen to their queries and demands. I only hope all the misunderstandings are solved.”
