Hyderabad: Several private and corporate schools in Hyderabad have been flouting regulations set by the education department by pressuring students to purchase books and uniforms exclusively from the schools, contravening the rules established by the Central Board of School Education (CBSE) and the Telangana State Board of Secondary Education. These regulations clearly state that primary students should not be coerced into buying expensive study materials and uniforms from schools.
Unfortunately, at the start of every academic year, parents find themselves in the same predicament, as private schools continue to exert pressure on them to purchase uniforms and books at prices higher than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). Even when parents express interest in only buying textbooks, schools make it compulsory for them to purchase entire kits, including textbooks, notebooks, and study materials, which can amount to around Rs 10,000. Sunil Rao, the parent of a seventh-grade student enrolled in a corporate school, expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation. He highlighted that if the same books were purchased online, they would cost no more than Rs 7,000-8,000.
Venkat Sainath, Joint Secretary of the Hyderabad School Parents Association, remarked that the sale of books and uniforms in schools has become a lucrative business. Every year, parents face similar situations, and he called for stringent laws to be implemented to curb commercial activities within schools. He stressed that such practices will persist until the government effectively enforces the existing regulations. This issue seems to be unique to Telangana, as other states like Delhi take immediate action whenever such activities are reported.
Parents and education advocates are urging the government to intervene and take decisive action against schools that violate the rules and exploit parents financially. The enforcement of strict measures and penalties will help protect the rights of parents and ensure a fair and transparent education system in Hyderabad.
