Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, July 6: A private schools body and Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA) on today condemned the alleged harassment of New Convent Higher Secondary (NCHS) School principal and staff by a parents’ association last week.
Addressing a press conference here, the Joint Committee of Private Schools (JCPS) and KEA members said that the parents under the banner of Parents Association of Privately Administered Schools (PAPAS) led by Asma Goni “barged” into the Convent School and “sought office record and student register”.
Pertinently, Asma and her association members on Saturday, last week, filed an FIR against the Convent School’s principal after he allegedly misbehaved with her. The PAPAS had accused the school’s principal, Muhammad Iqbal of humiliating and pushing the parents out of his office. “We had some genuine concerns related to fee waiver,” the PAPAS said.
Referring to the Saturday’s incident, he said: “Asma Goni before this incident was issuing statements in the newspapers.” “Asma, along with 40-50 people, misbehaved with staff over irrelevant things. The principal, Iqbal Beigh, was not present in the school and was at his home. The school staff informed him and he reached the school,” Var said, adding: “the school principal first spoke to Asma. But, it came to the forth that none of her child studies in Convent school,” he said. Var said that the principal clearly told her that if none of her kids study at the school then why she is making an issue as she has no authority. “He told her that neither you are Education Minister nor Director Education,” Var said.
Denying allegations of assault, he claimed that the conversation was not going in any room but in front of staff and other parents.
On the occasion, Showkat Chowdhay of KEA said that the act is condemnable and said that no one can meet any school principal without proper appointment.
He asked Government to come clean on PAPAS and other parents’ bodies and said: “We want to ask the Government that if it has approved PAPAS, then why any order wasn’t issued in this regard? If the same situation of harassment continues then it would be difficult for private schools to function,” he said.
He demanded cancellation of FIR against the principal of NCHS School and action against Asma.
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