Thane School Demands ₹10K Annual 'Facility Fee' For Digital Boards; Parents Allege Coercion And Lack Of Transparency

Mumbai: Parents of students at Shri Mavli Mandal High School, Charai, have raised serious concerns over what they describe as coercive measures taken by the school to collect a Rs 10,000 annual 'Facility Fee' for newly installed digital boards. The fee, which varies across classes and is expected to be paid yearly, has prompted widespread opposition from families citing financial hardship.

The controversy intensified during the school’s Open Day on Tuesday, where parents who had not paid the fee were reportedly warned that their children would be denied admission for the upcoming academic year. Some students were also allegedly prevented from viewing their assessed answer sheets, and parents were asked to sign written commitments indicating when they would pay the fee.

Parents claim that despite voicing their inability to pay—especially after a 15% fee hike in 2024—the school management, led by CEO Mr Narendra Pathak, has continued to insist on full payment. Families with multiple children enrolled say the additional annual charge is unaffordable and unjustified.

One parent, on the condition of anonymity, said, “Apart from the financial burden, these coercive methods are impacting our children too. They see these things happening and it affects them. They may feel stressed or anxious when they hear their admission could be in danger.”

Even those parents who reluctantly agreed to pay the fee were not issued receipts. Attempts to address the issue formally with the school have reportedly been ignored or denied acknowledgment.

Disturbed by these developments, a delegation of parents met with Thane District Education Officer Lalita Dahitule and submitted a memorandum signed by affected families. MLA Adv. Niranjan Davkhare, who accompanied the group, urged the education department to investigate and take appropriate action.

A joint discussion between education officials, the school’s CEO, and parent representatives has been scheduled for upcoming Tuesday. Education Officer Dahitule confirmed the meeting, stating that the matter would be addressed thoroughly.

While parents expressed their support for educational advancements like digital boards, they maintain that such projects must not come at the cost of transparency and parental consent. “We want good facilities, but not like this,” said another parent. When The Free Press Journal attempted to contact the school for a response, the management declined to comment.