<p>Several private unaided schools have blocked access to online classes to students who have not paid fees, leaving parents in shock.</p>.<p>Frustrated parents have flooded Child Line, RTE Task Force and the Department of Public Instruction helpline with complaints against the schools. The RTE Task Force alone received 50 complaints, while the DPI helpline collected over 100.</p>.<p>Many said the schools have blocked access to online classes to their wards, saying they have not paid the fees. In some cases, schools disallowed students' participation despite parents paying the fees in installments. Parents said they received no prior intimation over blocking online classes.</p>.<p>“Access to online classes was removed for my son without prior intimation,” said Sebastian, who is sending his son to a school in Whitefield. “When I checked with the other parents, they said the (online link) was working fine.”</p>.<p>Like Sebastian, others who had their access blocked checked with the school management and realised later that it was done to demand a one-time payment of the fees. To their shock, parents who asked for a transfer certificate received it from the school over email.</p>.<p>“We told the school that we would pay the fees in installments. Despite this, they blocked access to online classes, which is affecting the children’s mental and emotional health,” said a parent who faced the issue with a school in Indiranagar.</p>.<p>Despite the government asking them to go easy on fee payment this year, schools continue to harass us, complained another parent.</p>.<p>Nagasimha G Rao, state convener of RTE Task Force, said the over 50 complaints they received are against private school managements.</p>.<p><strong>Minister informed</strong></p>.<p>“Parents raised complaints about blocking of online classes,” he said. The RTE Task Force has forwarded the complaints to the concerned Block Education Officer (BEO). “We have to forward the complaints by email, which several BEOs haven’t even opened. This has also been sent to the notice of the primary education minister with a request that he should instruct all department officials to open their mails daily,” Rao said.</p>.<p>DPI officials said they must follow the procedure. “We must first issue a notice to the schools. We have done this for a majority of schools about which we have received complaints,” a senior department official said.</p>
<p>Several private unaided schools have blocked access to online classes to students who have not paid fees, leaving parents in shock.</p>.<p>Frustrated parents have flooded Child Line, RTE Task Force and the Department of Public Instruction helpline with complaints against the schools. The RTE Task Force alone received 50 complaints, while the DPI helpline collected over 100.</p>.<p>Many said the schools have blocked access to online classes to their wards, saying they have not paid the fees. In some cases, schools disallowed students' participation despite parents paying the fees in installments. Parents said they received no prior intimation over blocking online classes.</p>.<p>“Access to online classes was removed for my son without prior intimation,” said Sebastian, who is sending his son to a school in Whitefield. “When I checked with the other parents, they said the (online link) was working fine.”</p>.<p>Like Sebastian, others who had their access blocked checked with the school management and realised later that it was done to demand a one-time payment of the fees. To their shock, parents who asked for a transfer certificate received it from the school over email.</p>.<p>“We told the school that we would pay the fees in installments. Despite this, they blocked access to online classes, which is affecting the children’s mental and emotional health,” said a parent who faced the issue with a school in Indiranagar.</p>.<p>Despite the government asking them to go easy on fee payment this year, schools continue to harass us, complained another parent.</p>.<p>Nagasimha G Rao, state convener of RTE Task Force, said the over 50 complaints they received are against private school managements.</p>.<p><strong>Minister informed</strong></p>.<p>“Parents raised complaints about blocking of online classes,” he said. The RTE Task Force has forwarded the complaints to the concerned Block Education Officer (BEO). “We have to forward the complaints by email, which several BEOs haven’t even opened. This has also been sent to the notice of the primary education minister with a request that he should instruct all department officials to open their mails daily,” Rao said.</p>.<p>DPI officials said they must follow the procedure. “We must first issue a notice to the schools. We have done this for a majority of schools about which we have received complaints,” a senior department official said.</p>
