Parents complain after a Greater Noida school ‘locks up’ 20 students due to unpaid fees. Ridiculous

Parents complain after a Greater Noida school ‘locks up’ students due to unpaid fees.

A private school in Greater Noida has come under scrutiny after allegations emerged that they locked up approximately 20 students, ranging from nursery to Class 7, for several hours due to non-payment of school fees. The incident occurred at BGS Vijnatham School in Greater Noida West and has sparked outrage among parents, who are now demanding legal action against the school for subjecting their children to such treatment.

According to the parents, the school administration singled out around 20 students from various classes and confined them to a classroom for approximately three hours, citing non-payment of school fees as the reason. The children were reportedly released only after the three-hour period had elapsed. Disturbed by the incident, the parents are calling for the school to be held accountable for harassing their children in this manner and are seeking legal recourse.

Shyamendra Nagar, one of the parents, shared his daughter’s account of the incident. She informed him that she, along with several other students, had been detained in a classroom for three hours, during which they were informed about their outstanding fees. The families allege that the school authorities even went so far as to threaten the students, warning them of similar consequences if future fee payments were not made on time.

The parents expressed concern over the impact of the incident on the children. They stated that the experience had left the students frightened and traumatised, particularly the younger ones who were held captive in the classroom. The children began crying when they were denied permission to leave, and the parents believe that subjecting the students to such treatment in the name of late fees is highly unprofessional and unacceptable. Shyamendra Nagar emphasised the need for the school administration to handle such matters more responsibly.

In response to the incident, the affected families reached out to the district school inspector on Wednesday, demanding legal action against the school for their actions. The parents are deeply troubled by the incident and are determined to seek justice for their children. They believe that no child should be subjected to such treatment, and it is their responsibility as parents to ensure that the school is held accountable for its actions.

Locking up students over non-payment of fees raises serious concerns about the school’s approach to disciplinary measures and its treatment of students. While it is understandable that schools need to address fee-related issues, resorting to such extreme measures is highly inappropriate and potentially traumatising for the children involved. Schools should prioritise effective communication with parents and explore alternative methods to address fee-related concerns in a manner that upholds the dignity and well-being of the students.

Education authorities and regulatory bodies must conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and take appropriate action to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. This includes assessing the school’s adherence to established guidelines, its disciplinary policies, and its treatment of students. The well-being and safety of students should always be the top priority within the education system, and incidents like these highlight the need for a comprehensive review of school practices.

The school administration has denied the allegations of locking students in a classroom. Meenakshi Khurana, the principal of BGS Vijanatham, addressed the issue on Wednesday, stating that there were outstanding fees for approximately 9–10 students, all of whom were relatives, for three months.

According to Khurana, this situation occurs every year, as the families in question often ignore the school’s attempts to contact them. She refuted the claim of locking students in the classroom, explaining that the students were made to sit in the class under the supervision of teachers to allow parents to collect them. The school wanted to personally discuss the matter of the late fee with the families since they were unresponsive to phone calls.

Following the allegations, a team from the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Gautam Budh Nagar, conducted an inspection of the school on Wednesday. CCTV footage was thoroughly examined for evidence regarding the incident. Dharam Vir Singh, the DIOS, acknowledged that it had come to their attention that some students had been prevented from leaving the school premises and were allegedly locked in a classroom due to pending fees. Singh confirmed that an investigation into the matter is underway.

In summary, the school administration refuted the accusations of locking students in a classroom, citing outstanding fees and the families’ lack of response as the reasons for keeping the students in class. The DIOS has initiated an investigation into the incident based on the allegations and is reviewing CCTV footage as part of the process.

In conclusion, the alleged incident of a private school in Greater Noida locking up students over non-payment of school fees has caused distress among parents and raised concerns about the school’s disciplinary approach.

The affected families are demanding legal action against the school for subjecting their children to such treatment. It is essential for education authorities to thoroughly investigate the incident, ensure the well-being of the students, and take appropriate action to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.