Local trustees of GEMS school duping students, allege parents

The tussle between GEMS Education, a leading multinational education company, and its local trustees running the school at Bijbehara town has put the career of over 450 students at stake. The worried parents of students now want the GEMS management to take over the school to save the career of their wards.

As reported by Greater Kashmir earlier, the GEMS Education in March decided to withdraw the franchise and stop operating the school. However, the local management continues to run the school using the GEMS brand. Parents allege the school management is duping the students despite clear instructions from the multinational company not to use their brand name.

The two parties have been at loggerheads with each since February last year. The education company also accuses the trustees of mismanaging the school. The trustees in the meantime also approached the local court to settle the disputes with the education company.

“We admitted our kids in the GEMS school considering it is a multinational brand. The school was charging us more than Rs 5000 per month besides Rs 30,000 at the time of admission.  But GEMS brand has been withdrawn and our kids are now enrolled in the school run by local management. We feel duped by both GEMS and local school management,” said a group of parents, adding that the school management is still charging them the same fee. “It is between GEMS education and local trustees to settle their financial aspects. What we want is GEMS education to run the affairs of the school. We are even ready to provide them accommodation till the matter is resolved by court.”

Pertinently, the building of the school is under local trustees and the GEMS education has also approached the court over its ownership. The education company on the other hand expressed helplessness, stating that matter is sub-judice.

“I won’t able to share the details as the matter is pending before court. Yes the GEMS education is concerned about students as they are enrolled in the school,” said Kadambari Matoo, director headquarters academics, GEMS Education New Delhi.

The local trustees, however, have accused the GEMS Education of shying away from the responsibility and also blamed certain “vested interests” for creating confusion. “No one can change the nomenclature of the school at all as the matter is sub-judice. The school continues to remain GEMS. The court will have to take the final call.  The parents need not to worry. Their career is safe,” John Ulfat, one of the local trustees of the school, had earlier told Greater Kashmir.

“The GEMS management is trying to overthrow the local management,” alleged Ulfat.

The trustees of the school were earlier running the school in the name of Crescent in Bijbehara town which was later closed. In 2014, the school was established with much fanfare under the brand name of Everonn public school in Bijbehara and the same trustees took over its management. The following year school was rebranded as GEMS Public School, run by a multinational educational company with schools in almost 14 countries attracting parents from southern part of Kashmir.

Even former chief minister Mufti Muhamad Sayeed had earlier visited the school along with present CM Mehbooba Mufti.

Meanwhile, the teachers of the school have alleged that they have been denied salary of many months.  “We have been giving our best to the school but at the end of the month we don’t even get our dues.  Our salary of many months is still pending,” said the teachers wishing anonymity.