Vibgyor parents move HC

Against the fee hike, saying it is against government norms

MUMBAI: Four parents of children studying in Goregaon’s Vibgyor High School have moved the Bombay High Court against the school authorities for suddenly hiking the fees.

Avisha Gopalakrishnan and three other parents have contended in their application that the circular issued by the school on March 19, announcing an annual fee hike from Rs55,000 for 2007-’08 to Rs82,500 for 2008-’09 was “malicious” and against the norms prescribed by the state government.

Justice Bilal Nazki and justice AP Deshpande on Monday directed the school management to conduct a meeting with the Parents and Teachers Association on April 5. The next hearing is on April 7.

The parents had also complained that the quality of education in the school as well as the facilities provided had deteriorated since 2006. The petitioners have alleged that the school had asked them to pay the increased fee or withdraw their children from the school by March 28 — that was giving only five days to find another school. The school follows the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education and was earlier a franchisee of the Billabong High School that was a part of the Kangaroo Kinds Education Limited. Since 2006, the school has been running independently as part of the Rustom Kerawalla Foundation.