Private schools turning into business hubs

-     Sale of books, stationery, uniforms, shoes offered by schools as service
-     This is not service but an order from schools, say parents
-     Publishers, vendors offering 15% to 40 % cut to school managements

Visakhapatnam: Sir, no need to go to any bookshop or textile shops, necessary books, uniforms, shoes, socks, badges and the stationery for your child. Everything will be arranged in the school premises and you can purchase for the entire year. It seems to be a service by the school managements to help the busy parents. But, more than help it appears to be an order by school managements for it is not an option but must for parents.

If, any parent asks about the high price of the notebooks and the need of big number of books, the managements have ready-made replies: Prescribed books may not be available in the market and it is better buy books in big number so that they may not have to hunt in the middle of the year. With not option left, parents are forced to buy at high prices in the schools.

The business executives from the publishers and traders of the materials are rushing to the schools offering commission and other sops to the managements for business promotion. Even the belts and badges of the schools are also commercialised. Publishers and traders are offering 15 per cent to 40 per cent commission on the sale of books, stationary, uniforms and shoes to the school managements. In fact, according to the state government rules and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) norms, the recognised schools should not involve in selling of books, stationery and uniforms. “The managements should not sell the books and uniforms forcibly. It is the option of the parents. According to the rules, the managements should not involve in the sale of books, stationery and uniforms. One can purchase books of any publication, but the syllabus must be followed by the norms only,” B Lingeswara Reddy, District Educational Officer Visakhapatnam told The Hans India.

However, the private school managements tie up with the publications, paper marts, textile shops and stationery vendors taking big commissions on the sales.

There are a big number of publishers based at various places particularly New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru publishing text-books. In fact, the CBSE affiliated schools should follow NCERT curriculum. 

“The schools are selling a complete kit with textbooks, notebooks, stationery, uniforms, ribbons, ties, shoes and socks. Schools are refusing to sell only textbooks. I can buy or get the uniform stitched outside, but the school is not allowing me to do so. The notebooks which are sold with the name of the school printed is high priced compared to the books sold outside,” said Balireddy Ganesh, a businessman.

Normally, to prepare a school photo identity card it cost less than Rs 50. But, majority of the school managements are collecting Rs 200 to Rs 500 for the identity card, he said.

VKL Gayatri