Bengaluru: The Commissioner of Public Instruction has issued notices to all private and aided schools including Central government-run CBSE and ICSE schools not to force parents to buy uniforms and textbooks from select vendors.
The Commissioner Mr K G Jagadeesha has sent out notice to private educational institutions stating that fleecing parents on forcing them to buy uniforms and textbooks from select vendors amounted to violation of Karnataka Education Act.
The commissioner issued this order in the wake of complaints received from public and parents against various schools at both Centre and State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights.
Both these commissions had also directed the education department to rein in such institutions found violating government laws.
The Department has also received complaints from public against hundreds of private and aided schools across the State including Bengaluru for allegedly forcing students to buy textbooks and uniforms from select vendors notably Eazy Shoppe and Messers Subash Publications by having an understanding to distribute textbooks and uniforms.
Moreover, in most private schools, prices of uniforms, textbooks are jacked up by vendors after opening shop in schools thus violating the orders of the education department.
Schools have no right to insist on parents to buy stationery and other items from select vendors, as per the laws.
The order clearly stated schools to give full freedom to parents to buy them from vendors of their choice and the discretion of the students.
