Hyderabad: Private schools' cock a snook at government order on textbooks

Hyderabad: Private schools in the city are disobeying the orders issued by the Education department prescribing books for classes 1 to 5. They are forcing students to buy other publications' books that are costly.

Vexed with the issue, the Telangana Private Teachers' Forum (TPTF) has submitted a representation to the Education department seeking implementation of the government prescribed syllabus for classes 1-5 in private schools. It sought stern steps against the private schools which are forcing parents to buy other publications' books.

Sheik Shabbir Ali, TPTF president, said, "Every new academic year we see the same scenario in private schools forcing parents to buy books. Schools are supposed to give names of three vendors. Instead, they are asking to buy books from schools which cost 20-30 percent more than the market price." "Private schools, let it be a CBSE board or SSC board from Class 1 to 8, are using Cambridge and Oxford books instead of using NCERT and SCERT textbooks. The annual business in all schools only on books is surprisingly around Rs.3,000 crore. It will be better if the department takes stern action against such schools." Nirupama, a private school teacher said, "From next academic year, as the State has planned to introduce English medium in government schools. The department should make it compulsory and implement the government prescribed primary syllabus for classes 1 to 5 in all private schools."

Naveen, a parent, said, "Private schools are looting money in all aspects, right from school fees, books, uniforms and study materials. Even after paying Rs 35,000 as fee for a class III student, they charged me another Rs 5,000 in the name of notebooks and study material. The saddest part is they are making everything mandatory and forcing us to buy them from the school itself."