Stop forcing parents to buy books and uniforms, private schools told

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 10

In view of a resentment among parents whose wards are studying in private schools over purchase of school uniforms and books from a particular place, the Education Department has asked private schools associated with the CBSE, ICSE and other boards to stop forcing the parents and students to buy uniforms and books from a particular shop or school itself.

The department in the circular has stated that it has come to the notice that most of the school managements are asking the parents to buy uniforms and books from their own school due to which the parents have to shell huge amounts.

State Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla had recently directed all private schools in the state to not coerce parents to buy books and uniforms from any particular shop.

The sale of uniforms and books on the school premises has also been prohibited.

The directives, meant for all private schools, affiliated to the CBSE, ICSE and the Punjab School Education Board, came after taking note of reports suggesting exploitation of parents of schoolchildren by certain schools.

The minister also directed that the uniforms once introduced in schools should be carried on for at least three years and no change in the colour and design of the dress should be made in that period.

Notably, the fight of parents with private schools started around four years ago when parents of the district and other districts started holding protests outside private schools.

At that time too, parents had met the then Education Minister, who had assured them that noose will be tightened around erring schools.

The parents have also been demanding that the schools should stop taking readmission fees from them and to properly imply with the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Bill, 2016.

What the circular says

A circular issued by the Education Departement mentions that no management will force the parents to buy new text books. “If there is no change in the syllabus, then students must be encouraged to take books from their seniors,” it reads. “If a school continues such acts, the no-objection certificate (NOC) issued to it will be cancelled," it said.