Tony Correa, the education officer of the Aga Khan Education Service (a prestigious body running schools in several countries, which has been managing the school since the eighties) said the school management had to make unnecessary investment in terms of time and staff for something the school was not bound to do, hence it was decided to wind up the service. ``To ensure that all students -- both those who take the school bus and those who don't -- go their way smoothly and that the junior students left the school premises before the seniors, we had to reduce 20 minutes fromour last period, which we could ill-afford as it is a violation of the government norm. We also had to be extra-vigilant about the bus service following an accident last year involving one of the buses. Also, we had to occasionally listen to complaints from either the parents or the contractor. These reasons prompted us to terminate the service,'' he noted.

Correa pointed out that the parents were informed about the termination of the service at least two months ago, so that they could make alternative arrangements. ``We did not object when we received a suggestion that the parents run the service,'' he said. However, he has categorically ruled out the restarting of the service by the school management.

One of the parents, Nazir Kirkire, maintained that the reasons provided by the management do not justify termination of the service. After all, it was the existence of the service that had prompted several parents to enrol their children in the school, he said, adding that till their demand was met, theparents would not call off the agitation.

Parents have other grievances as well. One of them, Humera Memon, alleged: ``The school has `illegally' been asking for Rs 75 (monthly) as activity fees for the last three years between Std I-IV (primary section). At the secondary section (Std V-X), which is an aided one, they take Rs 500 as incidental charges annually and do not even issue receipts for the same.''

Correa, however, maintained that the school management is transparent in its dealings, conducts all its affairs with the knowledge of the state and municipal education department, issues receipts and maintains proper accounts for everything including `activity fees' and `incidental charges.' In fact, the management has only implemented the increased term fee from this academic year though it had obtained sanction last year, Correa explained in a bid to highlight the school's concern for the parents. It is another matter, of course, that the school's fresh application for fee hike speaks of a hike interm fees as well.