Ramesh Menon, one of the parents from Kharghar and member of FFFE, said: "Parents should come forward and help us in this matter. As parents are paying 100 to 200% more for school essentials."
As the new academic year is about to begin, Forum for Fairness in Education (FFFE) — a non-government organisation which fights against commercialisation of and corruption in education — has decided to file a contempt petition in the high court against the government for failing to implement its order that nobody can make it compulsory to purchase books, uniforms, stationery from schools.
Ramesh Menon, one of the parents from Kharghar and member of FFFE, said: "Parents should come forward and help us in this matter. As parents are paying 100 to 200% more for school essentials."
Jayant Jain, President FFFE, said: "Schools ask parents to pay in cash only, most of them don't issue receipts, and there is huge evasion of VAT and income tax. They get up to 60% quantity discount in materials which is never passed on to parents. Huge commission is being paid to schools. Even annual day costumes are sold by schools."
He added: "Parents allege that they have to purchase inferior quality costumes and uniforms at a high price. Some schools have the habit to change uniforms very frequently. This is illegal. So, we request parents to kindly forward their school receipts, circulars or any documents proving that's their school is forcing to buy all stuff from school or its agents."
According to Jain, the forum had filed a petition in the high court in 2003 which had directed that no school can make it compulsory to purchase books, uniforms, stationary etc from them. But 90% of the schools are doing it by selling things at higher prices. The education department has failed to take any action in this regard.
Hence, the forum is filing contempt case against government for failing to implement the HC order and their own government resolution. Parents have lodged complaints but the education department took no action, alleged the forum.
Unaided schools have made their own non-standard note books, either little small or big, these are not available in the market. Latest trend is books, uniforms, school bags are supplied with school logo, and these are sold at double the price by schools, as the same are not available in market. One of the reputed international schools is selling a book for Rs1,700 which is not part of syllabus and the same book is available for Rs600 in the market.
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