BENGALURU: Private unaided schools in the state are not allowed to insist parents/guardians to buy textbooks, bags, uniform, shoes and other school items from stores on school campuses or from a particular vendor.
The state department of primary and secondary education has issued an official order barring private schools from doing the same. The department will impose a penalty of up to Rs 10 lakh on schools that insist parents to do so.
Recently, Central Board of Secondary Education issued a similar circular where it asked affiliated schools to not sell textbooks, uniforms, bags and shoes on campuses.
According to officials from the department, this circular has been issued following complaints from parents saying school managements are harassing them by collecting excess fee for books, uniforms etc.. “As there was no provision to initiate action last year, we have made it clear through the government order. If any school is found violating the norms, they will be penalised,” said Tanveer Sait, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education.
As per the information available from the department, there were complaints against at least 50 schools about charging excess fee. “As there were no proper guidelines or rules we could not initiate action. We just issued notices. But this time we have made a provision under the Right to Education Act to penalise such institutions,” explained Sait.
Textbooks free for RTE quota students
Schools following the stateboard syllabus have to buy textbooks through Karnataka Text Book Society and supply it to children for the same price at which they were purchased from the state government. For students admitted under RTE quota at these schools, the department will supply textbooks free of cost.