Private schools crushing students’ freedom

Vijayawada: A majority of private and corporate schools have been denying students' right to buy books, stationery and uniform on their own to suit their budget. Educational institutions have been asking the students to pay the fee in advance before commencement of the academic year.

Highlights:

• Private, corporate schools make a roaring business on sale of books, stationery and uniforms
• K Nalini, a parent, expressed concern over the kind of dictatorship the students are exposed to by not even allowing them to take a school bag of their liking
• M Hari, a Class VIII student in a corporate school, says that his school stocked notebooks, stationery and shoes one month before commencement of classes

“The very purpose of education is to teach the future generation about the purpose of value-based life and human rights. The crux of education is to explain students the concept of individuality and freedom. Now, by snatching basic rights of kids to pick up things they would like to study and the kind of garments and things they want to wear, the corporate and private institutions have been literally crushing students’ freedom in the bud,” lamented V Subba Rao, who works as English teacher in a corporate school.

K Nalini, a parent, expressed concern over the kind of dictatorship the students were exposed to by not even allowing them to take a school bag of their liking. “The schools have literally turned into business establishments where even shoes are available to prevent parents from cutting down their budget on schooling of their kids.

Even though the businesses linked to education are going on the premises of the schools, parents are afraid to complain to the education authorities fearing it would spoil the career of their children,” she complained.M Hari, a Class VIII student in a corporate school, said that his school had stocked notebooks, stationery and shoes in sufficient quantity one month before commencement of classes.

“It is an open secret that officials cannot do anything about it. The school managements have a powerful lobby. We are warned against talking on the businesses linked to education,” he explained.“Private schools, which have a few branches, have been charging Rs 1,100 for books, stationery and uniform for kids of LKG. You just go to school with your kid and return with everything they needed.

The only difference between shopping and schooling is that the price tags of books, stationery, footwear and clothes available in school are 30 to 40 per cent more than the same available in shops,” said Ch Sindhu, a teacher in the corporate school.

By Noor Shaik