Timings imposed for visits; move aimed at ensuring minimal disruptions

Going forward, parents may have to seek permission before entering School premises. The education department may soon issue an order to regulate the entry of parents in the light of recent disruptions and protests.

Confirming the development, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait said: “There are people who enter the campus and interrupt activities. We are working on this issue to ensure such things don’t happen. We will need to fix timings for parents’ visits. They’ll need to take permission before entering the school campus to meet someone.”

A senior official from the department said the issue of free entry had become a constant worry for schools off late. “Sometimes, block education officers have to intervene to settle sudden disputes,” said the source.

Recently, the Education department had announced that school and college premises will be declared ‘sensitive zones’ after a series of complaints emerged on political activities being held inside the complexes.

The other problem comes from parents fighting over their children. In cases where the couple may have separated with an on-going custody battle, parents come and start seeking documents from the school or demand to take their child back with them.

D Shashi Kumar, Principal and general secretary of the Associated Managements of Private Unaided English Medium School in Karnataka (KAMS) said:
“Sometimes, when guardians come and admit a child, the parents come to the school later and create problems.” Many schools in the city are facing this problem, claimed Shashi Kumar.

Schools have been complaining to the education department that there are a lot of parents who intrude and threaten them. Fights over child custody, demanding to see fee receipts or documents, etc., all take place during school hours. This not only disrupts the environment, but also becomes embarrassing for children whose parents are involved in such activities, said a principal from a school in Bengaluru south. “Children are very vulnerable to such things,” said the principal. Abdul Wajid Khaji, DDPI, Bengaluru North, said: “Recently, a court ordered legal action against a parents’ association that was trying to intervene in an issue related to fees. If parents have concerns, they should approach the management instead of forming associations. This is what the HC said too.”