Federation of parents’ groups will meet regularly, discuss strategy on other issues.
‘Maha-parents’, a state-wide federation of parents’ bodies was launched on Saturday by veteran socialist leader, Bhai Vaidya to fight against drastic fee hikes in schools. About a dozen associations from regions including Nashik, Solapur, Mumbai and Aurangabad met at Dr Ambedkar Bhavan for the launch on Saturday.
Rosary Parents Association’s vice-president, Syed Shaher Ali, told DNA that although they had been fighting for the cause for the last 2 to 3 years, there was no common platform where parents’ associations could register complaints and discuss the issues.
“This organisation will act like an umbrella body for all associations across the state and take the issues related to parents and students further,” he added.
Right to Information activist, Vivek Velankar and human rights lawyer, Asim Sarode were among those present at the launch.
Syed said all parents are united by the desire to provide good education to their children. “Every month a meeting will be held where all members or representatives of the associations from various cities will come together and discuss issues, problems and possible solutions. The education department officials at the local and state-levels will also be invited for these meetings,” he said.
President of Springdale Parents’ Association, Shivabhau Pasalkar, told DNA that every year a fee hike of almost 50% is witnessed. “We, as parents feel that this should be stopped and a law to curb such extraordinary fee hikes should be introduced. Education has become a business where unscrupulous elements are converting their black money into white by constructing schools. We want to put an end to this,” he said.
The new association is expected to have a membership of about one lakh and will unitedly fight against fee hikes, improper education, unhygienic toilets in schools, corporal punishment and non-availability of drinking water for students.
“We need support from parents who have gone through the same harassment. We urge them to join our organisation to help improve the educational system. The organisation will become stronger if more and more parents join and participate,” said Anjali Patil, representing the Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) School’s parents’ association.
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