DSEK warns private schools of action for prescribing overpriced textbooks

Srinagar, Nov 23: The Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) Naseer Ahmad Wani on Sunday said the purpose of both government and private schools was to impart education to the students without indulging in illegal profiteering.

He said numerous complaints were received against the private schools for prescribing overpriced textbooks to the students out of their own will by violating the government order.

"The private schools should not indulge in business and prescribe overpriced textbooks to students which are not necessary. The schools should adopt NCERT textbooks," he said.

He said that it was mandatory for the private schools to seek government permission in case they want to prescribe any extra textbooks apart from NCERT books.

"The purpose of both government and private schools is to provide education to the students which is affordable by all. There should be no highhandedness of the private schools in this regard," he told media persons on the sidelines of an event in Budgam.

As already reported by this newspaper, the issue about overpriced textbooks prescribed by private schools came to limelight after the receipts of bookstores went viral on social media.

The JKBOSE-affiliated private schools prescribed textbooks of private publishers to students, in violation of government order, which were sold at exorbitant rates to the parents.

However, no timely action was taken by the government to control the illegal practice of the private schools. The School Education Department (SED) acted as a mute spectator till all the parents purchased textbooks for their kids.

Almost three weeks later, the government teams, including officials from JKBOSE started inspection of schools and claimed to have suspended JKBOSE affiliation of four schools besides penalising eight schools for adopting textbooks other than NCERT.

However, the move was not received well by the parents who accused the department of inaction.

"The department was supposed to act early when the parents did not purchase the textbooks. But now the schools are preparing students for the Unit Test and the department has woken up to the issue," the parents said.

Meanwhile, about the complaints against private schools over charging admission fees and giving an arbitrary hike to tuition fees of students, DSEK said the parents should register their complaints with the Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (FFRC).

About the government schools operating in private rented rooms, DSEK Naseer Ahmad Wani said the department was shifting rented schools in the permanent buildings in a phased manner.

"Development process is not completed overnight, it takes time. But we are at it and all the schools will get permanent buildings," he said.

He further said all the government schools will receive the free supply of textbooks from JK Board of School Education (BOSE) as the schedule for lifting of textbooks has already been notified.

"The textbooks have been supplied to schools since November 17 and we will ensure that all schools receive the textbooks on time," he said.