Class XI : Teachers admit taking donation

MALDA, Aug 8: All teachers including Mrs Sudipta Sarkar, headmistress, of Ramkinkar Girls’ School confessed before the Malda district inspector of schools that they had collected excess amount of admission fee and donation from the students during the time of admissions for class XI this year. Almost all the teachers of Ramkinkar Grils School in English Bazaar town met the district inspector of schools yesterday and submitted a written application to him, admitting their ‘mistake’ and asked him not to cancel their salary for the month of July. After receiving complaints from the guardians the district inspector of schools barred the salary of all the teachers of this school for violation of government direction regarding admission fee. The school had collected Rs 250 for admission fee, which was abnormally higher than the amount fixed by the government. Besides, the school had collected a donation of Rs. 700 to 750 from each students during the time of admissions. In the course of an argument, the teachers also disclosed that they used to collect similar amount for admission fees and donations in the previous years and some other schools have also been collecting extra admission fees. During an interaction with the district inspector of schools, the school teachers yesterday agreed to refund the excess admission fee amount to the students.The D I has asked the school authorities to submit all the papers including the papers concerned with the collection of admission fees and donations on Monday. “After verification of all papers a decision regarding canceling the teachers salary for the month of July would be taken”, said Mr. Chinmay Sarkar, the Malda D I. The district education officials are also investigating into another complaint against that school. It was alleged that all the teachers had come to meet the DI around 1.30 pm yesterday after boycotting the schedule examinations on Thursday. n SNS