Punjab Govt directs private schools to display list of shops selling books, uniform

Chandigarh: The Punjab government on Tuesday ordered private schools to display a list of shops dealing in books and uniforms to allow parents to have the option for buying these items from any prescribed shop. The schools will have to display the list of at least three shops in towns and 20 in cities, and the list will also be shared with District Education Officers (DEOs), said an official release.

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Punjab Education Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer directed the DEOs to form inspection teams to verify the list of shops by conducting random inspections and any violations found would be strictly dealt\R. Earlier, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had ordered the private schools not to force parents to buy books and uniforms from any specific shop.

Hayer also ordered the district regulatory bodies headed by the deputy commissioners to pro-actively act on complaints against private schools. He said it has been brought to his notice that despite strict instructions from the chief minister, a few private schools were grossly violating these orders.

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Such defaulter schools would soon face stern action for flouting these directions and will be asked to comply with these orders in the letter and spirit, the minister added.