The Delhi government has warned private schools of strict action for forcing parents to buy costly educational material and uniforms from the school or any specific vendor. The schools have been directed to not change colour, design or any other specifications of uniforms for at least three years.
According to an official order by the Directorate of Education (DoE), the private schools are run by trusts or societies, and have no scope of profit and commercialisation. “Schools should display class-wise list of books and writing materials to be introduced in the coming session as per rule well in advance on the school website, and (this should) also be communicated clearly to parents via other media,” the DoE order said.
“However, schools are not allowed to force parents to purchase these things from any of the selected vendors particularly. Parents can buy books and uniforms from any shop as per their convenience and suitability,” the statement said.
Besides this, schools are also required to display names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least five shops in close proximity of the school where books and uniforms will be made available for students, the order added.
“Many households have lost their source of income since the Covid-19 pandemic hit two years ago, making it difficult for them to purchase expensive books and uniforms from specific shops which charge arbitrarily. This order would give freedom to parents across the city to buy books and uniforms for their children as per their convenience. The parents in all private schools have the right to clear and proper information about books and uniforms before the beginning of the academic session, so that they can arrange them from a place of their choice,” Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister, Delhi said.
“No school has the authority to compel them to buy books or uniforms from a specific vendor. The main cause of education should be to nurture the future of the nation, not minting money,” Sisodia added.
With inputs from PTI.
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