CHENNAI: Private schools along the coastline of Chennai are being approached with fake “tsunami-affected” certificates by parents, in an attempt to dupe them into providing free education to their children. Parents with fake certificates have approached the East Coast Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Palavakkam and the Ayappa Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Shozhinganallur, both of which fall within the Kancheepuram revenue division, claiming that they are victims of the December 26 tsunami that hit the coast of Tamil Nadu with devastating effect.

Soon after the tsunami, the Tamil Nadu government had issued an order directing matriculation schools, among other institutions, not to collect tuition fees from affected students and instead claim it from the government after routing the relevant documents through the district collector.

The order issued by the higher education department early this year states: “The government, therefore, directs all educational institutions... not to collect the tuition fees and special fees from the students belonging to tsunami-affected areas... Instead, the educational institutions concerned should make necessary claim to the respective district collector... for sanction of necessary payment. Students requiring this concession should obtain a certificate from the local VAO (Village Administrative Officer).”

While several parents approached the schools with authentic certificates, a number of others not affected by the catastrophe produced bogus certificates to become eligible for the fee waiver. An official of the Ayappa Matriculation Higher Secondary School said that of the 50 students who submitted “tsunami-affected” certificates, they found after verification that many of the claims were bogus.—By arrangement with Asian Age