Sukanya Nandy

According to the Karnataka Association of Management of Primary and Secondary Schools, the department of public instruction has asked private schools to buy textbooks for the new academic session.

The association has asked the government not to force them into buying textbooks right now as they are not yet clear as to how many students will enrol for the upcoming academic session (2021-22).

D Shashi Kumar, secretary of the association told EducationWorld, “Last year, although there was no admission, the government had sold the books to the private schools with 100 percent fees. Most of those books were not collected by the parents and are still lying with the schools. Similarly this year, there is an uncertainty on opening of schools. Many children have not taken admissions yet or have left. Hence, we do not have clarity on student retention. And yet, the government is asking us to put the indent. Once the indent is put across, they will ask us to pay the fees. Where will we get the money to pay for the textbooks? Hence, we said either give the textbooks for free or put it on hold till the schools reopen and we have some clarity on the number of students enrolling for the 2021-22 academic year.”

Meanwhile, last month, 50,000 teaching and non-teaching staff from several private schools in the state took to the streets in Bengaluru on February 23 to voice their dissent against the state government’s 30 percent fee reduction order.

Also read:

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50,000 Karnataka teachers take to the streets against 30% fee cut