Opposition pledges to countersue Indian School Bahrain

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A group of parents who represent the opposition of the Indian School Bahrain (ISB)’s current executive committee has accused the latter of ‘tarnishing the image of the institute.’  

The tug-of-war between the two panels at Bahrain’s largest expatriate school continues as the United Parents Panel (UPP) blamed the current office holders of trying to intimidate parents with false legal suits for protesting against their ‘wrongdoings’.

Recently the ISB had filed a complaint with the Isa Town Police Station against a group of individuals for spearheading a malicious campaign against the school.

The school management said that despite repeated warnings, the UPP continued their smear campaign to mislead the public about the school, which is a centre of learning for over 13,000 students and 650 teachers.

Meanwhile the UPP has threatened to counter sue if the school continued, “to harass financially struggling parents who dared to voice their protest against the school.” “Many parents are unable to pay the school fees due to the pandemic,” said a statement issued by the UPP. “If the school attempts to trap the already distressed parents in a false lawsuit, it will be countered legally.”

The UPP also demanded that the school reveal the details of money raised from parents and teachers to help students in need.

One of the main allegations against the school was that it banned students with payment dues from attending online class. However the school reiterated that only those students, whose parents were unresponsive to the school’s multiple reminders to settle dues or had large arrears were excluded from class. Students were readmitted when parents paid at least a part of the dues or explained their financial difficulty to the school.

The UPP has however asked that not a single student be denied their right to education, especially during these trying times. They demanded that the school disclose the number of students banned from online class.  

They also demanded an apology from the school chairman Prince Natarajan who, according to them, was the one spreading false propaganda against the school and asked for his immediate removal.

Background

Meanwhile the school, in an earlier statement, claimed that a group of people were trying to (illegally) raise funds through social media and other means supposedly to help parents with their financial problems. This has raised confusion among parents who keeps approaching the school to benefit from this fund. However the school has affirmed that it has not authorised any organisation or individual to collect funds for their students or parents.

The school had also rubbished rumours that a parent had committed suicide after being forced by the school to clear payment dues. However no such incident is known to have taken place in the last six years, the school clarified. Another allegation being circulated was that non-payment of staff salary for four months due to the pandemic. Yet the school confirms that every staff member was paid 75 percent of their salary from July to September this year. The negative propaganda against the school too contributed to non-payment of fees by parents who were regular payers. This led to a further shortage of fund due to which staff could not be paid in full.