The three-day school science fair of Malappuram educational sub-district that concluded at Government UP School, Irumbuzhi, on Wednesday offended a section of parents as the organisers charged an entry fee of Rs. 10 from them. They said the
entry fee was unfair.
Although the school authorities claimed that what they collected was donations and not entry fees, the children who manned the gate did not allow people to enter the science fair venue without buying tickets.
“A ticket (of Rs. 10) is must for entry,” they said.
The State government guidelines demand that no entry fee be charged from the public for viewing the science fair. However, the government does not provide sufficient funds to conduct the school fair. The organisers admitted that raising funds through donations from the public was the only way out to meet the financial requirements.
P.M. Anil, principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Irumbuzhi, said that they collected donations from the public using Rs. 10 coupons. “It is to raise funds for giving food to the hundreds of children who take part in the event. Without giving food to the
children, how can we manage such an event?” asked Mr. Anil.
The organisers said that such events were being conducted annually by partly meeting the requirements through donations from the public. As the venue and date of the school fair was announced less than two weeks ago, the organisers said they did not get time to approach the public to raise funds. “The puja holidays took away one week. We had
hardly any time to raise funds,” said Mr. Anil.
Although it was printed as Rs. 10 donation on entry coupons, they were sold through a ticket counter at the entrance.
