Faridkot
What is being described as a big action by the Punjab government to control allegdling overcharging annual funds, fees,sale of books and uniforms by private schools, is too late and seems to be a publicity stunt.
As without any police to regulate all these things by the AAP government since it came to power, it is impossible to check the alleged loot of the students.
This action was declared by school education minister Harjot Singh Bains on April 1, when the session had almost started and all the students had paid annual charges,fees and bought books.
As far as making complaints is concerned, over 1600 complaints have been registered with the department as per the information shared by the minister in a tweet on Tuesday.
It may be telling enough how the people face problems on the alleged loot of them by private schools.
The problems faced by students/parents.
The declaration of results before March 31 to block if one wants to change the school
Some of the private schools allegedly declare their results of annual school examinations before March 31, even a week before it forcing the the students to collect their result cards and complete the admission related formalities immediately, saying that failing which , their seat will be alloted to the other student.
If some wants to change his/her schools, his way is blocked as if he fails to get admission in another school of his choice, he is refused to give him admission in his old school too.
So almost all the students have to pay hege money in form of annual charges and buy books.
The Government must fix a day for the declaration of results and if a student wants to change his school, he should be given about a week to adjust himself.
Annual charges, no admission fees
The private schools in which the students continue to be promoted in next classes, charge hefty amounts in form of annual charges, running into thousands.They do not describe their purpose as almost all the things wanted by the students in aa academic year, have to be bought by the students.This loot should be stopped by the government as it goes on year by year in the open.
Selling books and alleged commission on them
As almost all the private schools teach books by the different writers and publishers, except in board classes, they are and can not be available at all book shops. The book sellers who have pre-understanding with the schools make those books and note books available, by offering them commission.If the government makes a policy that forces the schools to choose books out of a limited number of publishers, only then this loot can be stopped.
That students can not share old books, the schools mostly keep changing books each year, at least half of the books in the syllabus are changed.
If there is little change, the students can buy or share old books.
Logos, loot in sale of uniforms and bags
Since AAP came to power, the schools have stopped printing on the diaries that books and uniforms will be available on this or that shop, but exploitation of the students still goes on.Even some of the schools have started asking students to buy bags with school logos, this way, uniform and everything is sold by a particular shops.
Complaints backfire, the minister should make all inquiries of the illegalities/unfair practices himself
Filing a complaint against an influential person means one has to bear the brunt.
If the parents of a student file a complaint against some private school, the parents always think that their child may have to face the problems in school because the school has a lot of internal assessment marks at its hands besides ignoring the student.
No government officials and MLAs etc be allowed to be a part of the school functions
There must be a check that no government functionary or part of the government be a part of the school functions. Some of the schools invite senior government functionaries as DCs,MLAs or ministers to be a part of their school functions.When such high dignitaries are a part of the school functions, the common man dare not approach those officials for justice or with a complaint against schools.
I do not allege that all the private schools are doing it, but some are there. If the government makes inquiries into the complaints by the parents and looks into the issues itself and comes up with a policy, the malpractices may be checked.
Whatever I have tried to point out, I have seen and heard about it from friends or parents of the students reading in private schools.