Parents of Kandivli school shocked to be turned away from the school gates on Tuesday morning; trustee says holiday will be adjusted
The school was decked out for the wedding.
The wedding season brought an unexpected - and supposedly illegal - day off for the students of Kandivli's Shree Jamunadas Adukia high school and junior college. The management of the institute declared a surprise holiday for their students so that the premises could be used for the wedding celebrations of a trustee's relative's daughter on Tuesday.
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When mid-day visited the school, no student was to be found in the premises, which had been decked out for the 'Samani and Khetani' family wedding. Caterers and decorators were busy working. Just then, two students, who had not attended school on Monday, when the holiday was declared, were turned away.
Some of the parents of children studying in the school were surprised with the holiday. However, none of them have complained to the school authorities, fearing their wards will be ill-treated if they do so.
The school premises were all decked up for the wedding ceremony on Tuesday. Pics/Satej Shinde
Parents surprised
The father of a child studying in the first standard told mid-day, "On Monday, my child informed me about the holiday. I checked the calendar and since there was no red mark for the following day, I thought that my child was making an excuse to avoid school. After I inquired further, I was told about the holiday being declared for the wedding, which left me shocked."
The father of fifth standard student said, "My child is not that interested in academics and always makes some or the other excuse to avoid school. On Monday, I was told about the holiday declared by the school but I didn't believe it. I took my child to school, where the watchman told me about the leave being declared for the trustee's relative's daughter wedding."
The school is otherwise not as generous with its holidays. Another parent added, "If our children take leave from school, the staff demands an explanation and warns us against taking leave for uncalled for reasons. But in this case, it is evident how serious the school is about the education of their students."
Some students being turned away.
Is it legal?
While the abrupt day off was granted by the school, it may not be entirely legal for them to do so. Anil Sable, the education officer of the suburb, said, "The decision taken by the trustee does not fit the rules made by the state education department. While schools can take such a decision during an emergency, they definitely cannot do so for such an event. They are allowed to declare [emergency] holidays for only two days a year, which have to be adjusted with those of a major occasion like Diwali or Eid."
However, Sable added, "I am not aware of this incident. I will seek information from the school officials. If we find any violation of the rules, we will certainly send them a show cause notice."
Done nothing wrong, says school trustee
Speaking to mid-day, Shivbhai Adukia, a trustee of the school, said, "We have declared a holiday as it is the day of my relative's daughter's wedding. This is our property, which is why we are using it. We would be adjusting this holiday with another one. I've not done anything wrong."
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