Parents oppose DPS Bhilai’s proposal for installation of AC in classrooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a circular issued by Delhi Public School Bhilai on Monday regarding air-conditioning of classrooms on both the Maroda and Risali Campus terming that it will bear extra running cost for the parents. A debate has started among the parents in the school WhatsApp groups made by the parents where most of the parents have opposed the decision of the school terming it to be a strategy of the school to increase the fees. Parents at DPS Bhilai are largely against the school’s plan to install air conditioning in classrooms, believing it's a way for the school to unfairly increase fees. This strong opposition is being voiced in a large WhatsApp group called "DPS Parents (Safety and Security Concern)," made after the alleged sexual assault on a KG-1 girl having over 700 members. Many parents feel that DPS Bhilai's fees are already very high, especially for students who aren't dependents of Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP) employees, making it the most expensive in the city for them.

 

Parents have complained repeatedly about existing problems that aren't fixed, even after numerous complaints. Fans in classrooms often don't work, even during hot summer days, and complaints about them go unaddressed for extended periods. Many smart class systems are also not working and haven't been repaired. Parents are concerned that if the school can't even fix basic issues like fans, there's no guarantee the AC units would be consistently maintained and functional. Parents point out that air conditioning is only needed for about 2-3 months of the year. They believe the school is planning to charge AC fees for the entire year, seeing it as a deliberate scheme to extract more money from them.

 

Overall, the majority of parents are against the AC installation, viewing it as an unnecessary expense and a way for the school to increase its revenue at their cost, especially given the existing unresolved maintenance issues. Some parents also argued that since the current principal is on an extension, major decisions like this should be postponed until a new principal is appointed. It may be noted that the circular issued by the school states that it has managed renovation for both the Maroda Campus and Risali Campus successfully. However, the next proposal of air-conditioning the classrooms on both the Maroda Campus and Risali Campus will involve extra running cost for the parents. To seek your feedback about your willingness/unwillingness regarding payment of these additional charges we request you to fill out the Google form on the link: https://forms.gle/vDM8cW6kJcAV4KVB9.

 

Please note that we will proceed with our proposal only if we receive an overwhelmingly positive response from the parents/guardians. This clearly indicates that if parents support the proposal, then they will have to face massive fees hike in the name of installation and electricity charges in future. It may be mentioned that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court last year challenging the air conditioning charge levied by a Delhi-based school was dismissed directing parents to bear the air conditioning costs, which amounted to Rs 2,000 per month. The court stated that parents should share financial responsibility with school management and consider the available facilities when choosing a school. This ruling suggests that if air conditioning were to be installed in DPS Bhilai, parents would likely be expected to bear a significant portion of the AC fees and would have limited grounds for complaint or legal challenge against such charges.