Pin code preference at Queen Mary's Play School irks parents
With the government bringing in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education, to prohibit screening procedures during admissions, parents have alleged that schools are discriminating amongst those applying for admission.
After parents protested against Colaba's St Anne's School for denying admission to students from certain residential areas, now they have complained that a school in Grant Road is inviting people only from certain areas to apply for admission.
Parents seeking admission to Christian Medical and Educational Fellowship Trust's Queen Mary School's Play School were shocked by a sign on the notice board of the school. The notice stated that children who hail from the postal code areas no 4,5,6,7, & 27 including Malabar Hill, Tardeo, Colaba, Worli, Girgaum, Grant Road, Kemps Corner, Peddar Road, Marine Drive and Cumbala Hill will be considered for admission to play school. The notice stated that those from other areas need not apply.
School authorities stated that they were following the rules stated under the RTE, which say that neighbourhood children should be given preference during admissions. However, while RTE states that preference should be given to children living within a kilometre of the school, the school has called for applications from parents from Worli and Colaba, which are far away.
A parent who was seeking admission for his daughter, said on the condition of anonymity, "The school is inviting applications from as far as Worli and Colaba , then why are areas like Mazgaon, Masjid Bunder, Dhobi Talao, not being considered? This is discrimination."
However, a spokesperson from the school said, "We are only following the government norms about preference to neighbourhood children. The remaining seats will be open for all.''
Social workers in the field of education claim that schools are using such tactics to screen parents applying to their schools. Jayant Jain, president, Forum For Fairness said, "Schools will be fined if they are found conducting screening procedures, but they want parents who can afford to pay any amount of fees.''
With the government bringing in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education, to prohibit screening procedures during admissions, parents have alleged that schools are discriminating amongst those applying for admission.
After parents protested against Colaba's St Anne's School for denying admission to students from certain residential areas, now they have complained that a school in Grant Road is inviting people only from certain areas to apply for admission.
Parents seeking admission to Christian Medical and Educational Fellowship Trust's Queen Mary School's Play School were shocked by a sign on the notice board of the school. The notice stated that children who hail from the postal code areas no 4,5,6,7, & 27 including Malabar Hill, Tardeo, Colaba, Worli, Girgaum, Grant Road, Kemps Corner, Peddar Road, Marine Drive and Cumbala Hill will be considered for admission to play school. The notice stated that those from other areas need not apply.
School authorities stated that they were following the rules stated under the RTE, which say that neighbourhood children should be given preference during admissions. However, while RTE states that preference should be given to children living within a kilometre of the school, the school has called for applications from parents from Worli and Colaba, which are far away.
A parent who was seeking admission for his daughter, said on the condition of anonymity, "The school is inviting applications from as far as Worli and Colaba , then why are areas like Mazgaon, Masjid Bunder, Dhobi Talao, not being considered? This is discrimination."
However, a spokesperson from the school said, "We are only following the government norms about preference to neighbourhood children. The remaining seats will be open for all.''
Social workers in the field of education claim that schools are using such tactics to screen parents applying to their schools. Jayant Jain, president, Forum For Fairness said, "Schools will be fined if they are found conducting screening procedures, but they want parents who can afford to pay any amount of fees.''
No comments:
Post a Comment