BELLARY: The Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) has directed all private schools to return donations collected in excess of the amount fixed by the Government.

The directive was given at a joint meeting of officials, representatives of various associations and organisations and school managements held here on Tuesday. The meeting was a sequel to the demonstration staged by several associations and organisations in front of the DDPI's office seeking action against the schools, which were collecting donations.

The DDPI said that all schools run by private managements should refund the donations within 15 days and a committee, which would be formed, would visit all schools to verify this. In case of any complaint from parents or others that donations were not refunded, stern action would be initiated against erring institutions, he said. He also warned of legal action against institutions that were not providing accurate information during the visit of officials of Education Department.

A representative of the Bellary Bar Association sought to know why school managements changed the dress code frequently and were collecting fees for sports and other activities when a majority of the schools had no playground.

Representatives of the various organisations, including Auto

Drivers' Association, SFI, pro-Kannada organisations, expressed concern over the inaction of officials of the Education Department against erring school managements.

Earlier, the representatives of these organisations locked the gate of the DDPI's office when the DDPI, who had assured to convene a joint meeting to end the donation menace, had failed to keep his word.

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