Seti Devi Higher Secondary School of Thulo Siruwari Village Development Committee has been charging Rs 5,900 for students´ character certificates. [break]
“We have devised this scheme at the behest of parents so that students do not opt to pursue higher studies elsewhere,” Chandra Bahadur Dhimalkoti of the school management board said. He stated that no additional fee would be charged for the 11th grade after students paid the amount.
“We´ve taken this decision at the behest of parents,” he said. However, parents and students have lodged a complaint at District Education Office (DEO) against the school´s decision.
Initially the school had decided to take 10,000 rupees. After the students and parents protested on July 23, the school reduced the amount to 4,900 rupees. Four students have paid the amount for their character certificates.
The schools in the district have been charging anything between 1,500 to 5,900 rupees for character certificates.
“It is a compulsion for village schools,” Yagya Sapkota, President of management committee of Kali Devi Higher Secondary School said. He admitted that the school has been charging Rs 5,000 for character certificates.
Badri Poudel, section officer at DEO said that the character certificates of students should be provided free of cost. He said action would be taken against schools that have charging students arbitrarily for character certificates.
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