Hyderabad: Private schools fleece parents

Hyderabad: Back at it again, many private schools in the city are disobeying government rules and are pressurising parents to buy books and uniforms from schools that are 40 percent more than the market price. In this regard, parents requested the Education department to take stern action against private schools that are forcing parents to buy books from the school.

Parents pointed out that every new academic year we see the same scenario of private schools forcing us to buy uniforms and books from the schools. As per rules of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSC) and Telangana State Board of Secondary Education, private schools should not force parents to buy expensive study materials, books and uniforms from the schools. As it is just few days left the new academic year to begin, parents are left with no choice but to pay through the nose for the books, stationery and uniforms.

Venkat Sainath, joint secretary, Hyderabad School Parents Association, said, "Selling books and uniforms on school premises have become a business and schools managements are forcing students to buy uniform and other essentials from the schools. In the name of books, they are also selling unprescribed books which are not useful. This is not a new thing, every year we are facing the same problem. The Education department should at least now take stern action on schools who are earning money illegally."

"Schools are supposed to give the names of their vendors. Instead, they are asking us to buy books from the school premises who are selling books for 40 percent more than the market price. That even goes the same with uniforms. Why cannot we buy the same quality uniform from the market rather than buying them from schools. School managements are also forcing students to buy study material, integrated books along with textbooks prescribed by respective boards. Students are also forced to buy all notebooks, whether there is a need of it or not, said Ramesh, a parent.