Schools can’t force students to buy books from select shops: Haryana Education Minister

Ambala, April 8

State Education Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar on Friday said that all recognised private schools had been debarred from compelling students to purchase books, workbooks, stationery, and uniform from any particular shop.

An order was issued by the Directorate School Education in this regard on Thursday, directing the private schools not to compel the students to buy books, stationery, uniform and other stuff from the recommended shops, else action would be initiated against them. However, questions are being raised over the timing of the orders issued, as a majority of the parents have already bought the books of private publishers from the recommended shops.

Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Gupta has accused the Haryana Government of copying the decisions taken by the AAP government in Punjab related to private schools, saying the AAP model was being replicated and orders were being copied by Haryana. The Punjab Government had asked schools not to compel the students to buy books and uniforms from specific shops.

“After the matter came to our notice, action has been taken. I have told the private school bodies that action will be taken if the same practices were not stopped. Earlier, we had issued directions related to school uniforms and fees as well. While Bhagwant Mann was just giving statements, the Haryana government has been taking decisions and issuing orders even before he became a chief minister,” Gujjar said.

The education minister was in Ambala City to chair a District Public Relations and Grievances Committee meeting at Panchayat Bhawan.

A total of 25 complaints were heard at the meeting. The minister constituted a four-member committee under the chairmanship of Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, to resolve the issues that people have been facing in getting no dues certificates, and also directed the Additional Deputy Commissioner to inquire about a complaint related to the mutation of land and take action against the officials concerned. He asked the officials to resolve all the pending complaints.