Pune: St Helena’s School Drops Rs 30,000 Admission Fee for LKG Students After Protests
Pune, March 29: St Helena’s School in Pune has cancelled the Rs 30,000 admission fee levied on students moving from nursery to Lower Kindergarten (LKG) after protests by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) members. The decision was announced in a notice signed by the school principal on March 28, stating that the fee had been waived.
Parents had raised concerns after being asked to pay the admission fee again despite having paid it during nursery admission. A parent of one such student said, “We were told last year that the Rs 30,000 admission fee was a one-time payment. However, we were asked to pay the same fee again for LKG. Despite approaching the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), no action was taken, leaving us with no option but to seek help from the MNS.”
Following the protests on March 25, the school clarified in its notice that parents who had already paid the fee could either collect a refund via cheque or adjust the amount against next year’s fees.
Dhananjay Dalvi, vice-president of MNS’s Pune unit, said, “A group of 20-25 parents informed Indian express that the school was charging the admission fee again. We protested at the school and later met with the principal to explain the issue. Eventually, the fee was revoked.”
Another concerned parent expressed frustration over the lack of clarity in the school’s fee structure. “Admission fees should be a one-time charge. The school had not informed us that this fee would be required every year. If we did not take a stand this time, they might have continued charging it annually,” the parent said.
The move has been welcomed by parents, who hope that schools will maintain transparency in their fee structures in the future.
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