Bengaluru: Parents’ associations in Karnataka have urged the state govt to do as Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta has done: warned private schools against compelling parents to buy books and uniforms from specific vendors.Even though Karnataka has similar rules in place, they are hardly enforced anywhere. Several parents in the state have won favourable judgements from the high court in this regard, but little has changed on ground.“Schools have various ways to fleece parents. One of the biggest is through notebooks. Vendors issue notebooks with the school logo at almost double the market price of a normal one,” said Mohammed Shakeel, a parent who has been fighting against this issue.“Many schools have their own set of textbooks for lower grades which are unavailable in the market. So, parents are forced to buy the books from the schools, often through the school’s app, where parents must buy the entire kit,” he said.The kits are sometimes ridiculous, he added. “Oil pastels of 30 shades for a first grader! Instrument boxes every year! Sometimes, they split books into two terms, citing the reason that they are reducing school bag weight, but actually doubling the book expenses. Some schools have in-house stores where these items are available round the year. It is a nexus,” Shakeel said.“There are companies that provide a complete acadmeic programme including curriculum, teacher training, assessments and textbooks. They provide the material only to schools and it is not sold in retail. It is a method of direct benefit transfer to school by eliminating middlemen,” Shakeel added.Sijo Sebastian, secretary of Voice of Parents association, said the govt lacked political will to enforce its own directives. “Despite multiple circulars issued by the authorities, and judicial interventions emphasising transparency, there has been a consistent failure in effective enforcement. Regulatory intent exists only on paper,” Sebastian said.Child rights activists say parents are on the verge of giving up. “While there were a few complaints from parents last year, we have not received any this year. We usually guide them on how to take it up with education department officials. But, in no case so far, has it been of any use. So, parents have lost hope. And even if a few parents rebel against the system, they do not receive support from others, and finally have to compromise with the schools,” said Nagasimha G Rao, an activist.Former chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Shashidar B, welcomed the Delhi CM’s lead in this matter and urged other states to follow suit. “We have written to the education department to implement RTE and other rules effectively,” he said.BOXWhat Delhi CM said‘On every school’s notice board, website, or store where they provide books, it must be stated in writing that parents can purchase uniforms, books, or stationery from anywhere. There will be no compulsion for any parent to buy books only from the vendor the school recommends. If any discrepancy is found, the school will face the strictest action, and may even be taken over (by govt)’Quotes‘My grandchild is in primary class at a school in Hulimavu. The school charges over Rs 12,000 for books. The book kit includes a dictionary, atlas, and what not. The student ID card and a handbook costs another Rs 500. All these charges are over and above the tuition fees. This is daylight robbery” — A guardian‘We do not support any school that prescribes specific vendors or sells books/uniforms on campus. We have requested the govt to take action against such schools several times’ — D Shashi Kumar, secretary, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools of KarnatakaKarnataka Educational Institutions RulesPurchase of uniform clothing and textbooks from the school or from a shop, etc, suggested by school authorities and stitching of uniform clothing with the tailors suggested by the school authorities, shall be at the option of the student or his parent. The school authorities shall make no compulsion in this regardMSID:: 130717903 413 |
