Krishnagar, Dec. 16: Humayun Sheikh, whose school life was about to end abruptly for want of only Rs 70, will be able to sit in Class VI.

His neighbours at Soli village went on a fund collection drive this morning and accumulated the amount even with meagre contributions from many families.

The 12-year-old, who was earlier refused admission to Class VI of Nagadi High School because he was unable to pay the annual fees, marched into headmaster Resoul Karim’s office around 10.30 am, with Rs 70.

Karim offered to raise the money through teachers, but he refused. “Sir, you have made me go through unnecessary trouble. I told you that I cannot pay the fees as my parents are very poor, but you refused to listen. Now you want to pay my fees as I went to the higher authorities. I do not want your money. I am not a beggar,” he said.

Karim admitted later that “he told me on my face that he did not want the money”.

Humayun belongs to a below-poverty-line family.

Accompanied by his mother, Humayun, the son of a farm labourer father, met the Nakashipara block development officer yesterday and said that he wanted to study.

The district administration then asked the school authorities to make sure that he could continue his education. Subdivisional officer, headquarters, Ajay Sannamat summoned the headmaster yesterday and asked him to admit Humayun immediately.

Under pressure from the administration, Karim today asked Humayun to accept the money raised by teachers. He had earlier said that the teachers had refused to contribute from their pockets.

Karim said all 15 teachers were present when Humayun came to him with the money, holding the hand of elder brother Mustafa Sheikh, a Class VIII student in the same school.

District magistrate Rajesh Pandey said Humayun’s case should serve as a pointer to the plight of poor students in rural Bengal. About 250 poor children in Humayun’s school pay their fees with funds raised by teachers.