DSEK warns private schools against imposing specific book and uniform vendors
The move comes after numerous complaints were received from parents that they were being forced by schools to buy school text books and uniforms from selected vendors, often at inflated prices.
Srinagar, April 07: In a move to promote transparency in the private education sector, the School Education Department (SED) has warned private educational institutions of strict action for forcing parents to purchase textbooks and uniforms from specific shops.
The move comes after numerous complaints were received from parents that they were being forced by schools to buy school text books and uniforms from selected vendors, often at inflated prices.
The Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has come up with strict instructions for private schools to notify the list of subjects and books prescribed by the Board to which they are affiliated through their websites while no other subject or book shall be made mandatory. The DSEK circular reads that "under no circumstances, any school shall ask parents to buy books from a particular bookshop."
The DSEK has stated that parents should be given a wider choice to purchase books and uniforms from the open market. Any deviation from these instructions shall be viewed seriously, and action will be taken as per the provisions of law, which inter-alia includes de-recognition of schools besides withdrawal of the Managing Body.
The DSEK has directed all the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) to constitute special monitoring teams involving cluster heads, Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) to verify the complaints received on account of the sale of books and uniforms by private schools and prescribing additional books or pressing parents for purchase from any particular shop. The circular also mentions that the directorate and its subordinate offices have been receiving a number of complaints against private schools regarding the purchase of textbooks, stationery items, and school uniforms from a particular shop.
The DSEK has further stated that some private schools were forcing parents to purchase extra books for classes 6th, 7th, and 8th in addition to the books prescribed by JKBOSE, which amounts to extra burden on the learning of students and goes against the recommendations of National Education Policy 2020. The circular reads that such illegal practices by a few private schools were against the ethics and norms issued by the Government from time to time.
The DSEK has instructed all the CEOs, ZEOs, and Cluster heads for enforcement of the guidelines while the heads of the private schools have been directed to strictly adhere to the instructions. (GK)
