Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 4: The state department of public instruction issued a circular on Wednesday May 3, as per which private schools in the state have been barred from selling text books, note books, uniforms or other stationery items. They also cannot ask the students to buy things from a particular dealer.

Commissioner in the department of public instruction, Sowjanya, clarified that the parents are at liberty to buy text books, note books, uniform etc from open market. She said that these conditions apply to children who have been admitted into private schools in normal course and also those who are admitted under to Right to Education Act section 12 (1) c. She added that this restriction will not apply to the supply of text books by Karnataka Textbook Society.

The schools which follow the state syllabus can buy text books from the said society and provide them to students at face value. Textbook Society has been supplying text books free of cost to students admitted under Right to Education quota from the year 2017-18. Therefore, schools cannot collect any fee for the textbooks from such students, the commissioner said in the circular.

Allegedly several private schools used to collect huge sums in the name of books and uniform. Some schools follow the practice of adding the cost of books and uniform to the annual fee. The parents were paying these amounts as they did not want to face any problem in the education of their children.

The circular states that recognition given to schools may be withdrawn and fine can be imposed under Right to Education Act if the schools fail to follow these instructions.

Karnataka Associated Management of English Medium Schools (KAMS) has opposed the government's move in placing ban on supply of uniform and textbooks in private schools. General secretary of the association, D Shashikumar, asked the government to immediately withdraw the order failing which he said that the association will not cooperate with the government in implementing these instructions.

He pointed out that Karnataka Textbook Society is a private concern and therefore allowing it to sell textbooks of state syllabus in private schools is tantamount to commercialization. "In view of these problems, we had requested on August 31, 2016, to the government to supply textbooks under state syllabus directly to parents. But so far the department has not responded. It was improper on the part of the government to come out with revised orders all of a sudden," he opined.

He criticized the government for not speaking about quality of education. He wanted to know whether distributing of books on general knowledge, moral education, drawing etc is wrong. Out of 55 to 60 books, the government provides only four to five. He wanted to know whether the government is justified in making the parents to move from pillar to post searching for books they need. "Just because of the fact that a handful of schools collected higher price does not justify the action which is grossly disproportionate,' he felt.