Raddi-cal move

How much raddi amounts to Rs 500? This is what parents of Holy Family School at Andheri (East) were left wondering after the school’s Parents Teachers’ Association asked students to get raddi (old newspapers and magazines) or pay Rs 500. To make matters worse, there was no clarity on why the drive had been undertaken at all, claimed parents.

While some said the circular issued by the PTA clearly stated the school was raising funds to install CCTVs at classrooms, receipts issued to parents on the payment of Rs 500 said the money was meant for poor children.

While the circular doesn’t mention how much raddi was required of each student, students and parents claimed that they were asked to get 100 kg raddi or Rs 500.

“We told the teachers it is impossible for us to collect so much raddi. But the teachers insisted we could if we tried.

“I have two sons studying at the school and so I must either pay Rs 1,000 or collect 200 kg of raddi. So far I have managed to collect 25 kg of raddi, which includes contribution by my neighbours and relatives,” said a parent on condition of anonymity.


“My kids are carrying 2-3 kg of raddi to school every day. We have donated around 22 kg, I have informed the school authorities that we cannot collect any more,” added another parent.

Speaking about the confusion about the reason behind the drive, a parent of a class three student said, “Everyone’s confused about the issue. Though the circular states the funds are meant for improving infrastructure at the school, the receipt on payment of the money says, ‘for the use of poor children’s fund’.”

The school says

Though principal of the school Dr Father Francis Swamy signed the circular in his capacity as president, he washed his hands of the drive. He claimed the donations are completely voluntary and that it was done with recession in mind. “The newspaper drive is an initiative by the school’s PTA and though the association is a part of the school, the drive has nothing to do with the institution.

It was a fundraising drive for poor children but we called it off on February 8 after a few parents misunderstood the reason for it. Parents are usually more willing to contribute for infrastructural changes rather than charity, hence we did not mention the funds were meant for poor children in the circular.”

Ashun Lahir-Vice president of PTA said, “We had asked students to donate as much raddi as they could. The proceeds that were collected from selling the raddi is meant for poor children. So far we have collected around Rs 28,000. The donations were not compulsory.”