HYDERABAD: The District Educational Officer (DEO), Hyderabad, has issued a directive forbidding all private schools — State/CBSE/ICSE — in the district from selling uniforms, shoes and belts in the school premises.
The new guidelines state that as per court orders, the sale of books, notebooks and stationery at the school counter should be on a “non-commercial” and “no-profit-no-loss” basis.
DEO R Rohini asked all Deputy Educational Officers to set up committees to monitor private schools regularly and ensure that the directive is followed.
The directive set social media abuzz with many netizens opining that the move was too little, and too late. Venkat Sainath Kadapa, Hyderabad School Parents Association (HSPA) general secretary, told TNIE that the directive carries no weight.
DEO’s directive doesn’t cover schools in RR
He said, “80% of the business is already done. Many schools use online portals or their own websites for purchases now.”
Kadapa, a father of two, said that he spent `30,000 on books alone. Many social media users pointed out that several private schools are located in and around Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri and fall outside the directive’s purview. Netizens also expressed their ire on the lack of progress regarding regulation of skyrocketing fees. Kadapa said, “Now, the authorities are saying that it will happen next academic year. It will never happen.”
Efforts by TNIE to reach the DEO went unanswered.