Dec 14, 2014 01:26 PM
18832 Views
Hi,
Our daughter joined "Aman Setu" School this year in June. We chose this school for its alternative approach to education, and also since we did not want a conventional school for our child.
However, we had to pull her out mid-session in October this year, as the school failed to deliver what it had promised.
Right from the sub-standard quality of the teachers, maids being promoted as assistant teachers, high attrition of teachers. To the filthy wash-rooms, no water in the wash-rooms for most of the times.
The principal had told us that there would a maximum of 20 kids in a class. Since this is an eco-friendly and green school.
The classrooms are made of mud, with no fans and lights inside. When school started this June, there were 30 students in my daughter's class, all cramped in a small room without any fan or light.
Transport was another issue.The school has made transport mandatory, without adhering to the rules and regulations.
The school charges not only double of what other schools in Wagholi are charging for a similar distance, they are also not following all the rules.
Till October, when my daughter was there, in many instances they used white private buses with curtains, which is a clear violation of the transport act with regards to school.
Also, most of the buses did not have the school's name printed on the side. There used to be only a computer-generated print-out kept on the windscreen, displaying the school name.
The buses did not have any speed governors either. Also, we got to know of a case of an RTE student, who was sent the transport challan of 2400 INR a quarter. Thinking that he had got it by mistake, he went to the school.
He was told to pay it for one quarter, and was told that the school will look at it in the next quarter. When this issue was brought up in the PTA meeting, the school management present in the meeting said that, these people will not appreciate if they get everything for free.
The parent of this RTE student also consulted with another RTE student's parent in the same bus route, and wanted to opt for a private pick-up and drop for both their kids.
However, the other parent told him, from the discussions that he had with the school he got the distinct impression that if they left the school bus, their kids might be alienated by the school. And, out of this fear they continued with the school transport.
Aman Setu being an inclusive school, is preaching and practicing something different. All important issues are sidelined or management gives the response that we will look into it.
Owing to these and other issues, we decided to withdraw our child mid-session, and October 17. It was her last working day, and the school was informed accordingly of the withdrawal.
However, till now, we have not received the deposit of 40k that we had paid at the time of admission.
The accountant said that due to'accounting rules' the school will return the deposit at the end of the academic year.
On calling up the school again today, and speaking with another person in the accounting team, he said that the management has decided from now on to refund the deposit at the end of the academic year.
My question is, How can the school keep the deposit even after all the dues have been cleared and the child has been withdrawn.
This is a security deposit we pay to the school. Once the child is withdrawn, why isn't the school returning it and enjoying interest on our hard-earned money at no cost to itself.
