SHILLONG: A city based school has come under the scanner for preventing three students of the school from appearing the annual examination over non-payment of tuition fees.
Sources informed that the Headmistress of Mayfair School, Laitumkhrah, Shillong, prevented the three pupils – siblings studying in classes VI, IV, and II, respectively – from writing their papers on Tuesday due to the inability of their widowed mother to pay the school fees on time.
The pupils’ father had expired in June landing the family in acute financial crisis.
The exasperated mother lodged a complaint with Mina Kharkongor, Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR).
When contacted, Kharkongor confirmed that the pupils were not allowed to sit for the exams which commenced on November 24. “I personally met the Headmistress but she told me to tell the lady to deposit some money after which she would allow the pupils to sit for the exams,” the chairperson added.
She further stated that the Headmistress, Maureen Syngai, was adamant in not allowing the children to sit for the exams unless the dues were paid despite a request to withhold their results instead.
“A request letter will go from the Commission on Wednesday to allow the children to sit for the exams. The Director of Elementary Education has also been verbally informed of the matter,” Kharkongor added.
On the next course of action, the SCPCR chief said, “It is a clear violation of child rights. The next step is to bring it to the notice of the Education department and get the school’s license cancelled.”
