Booksellers 'fleecing' parents in connivance with private schools.

Byline: Mohammad Ashfaq

PESHAWAR -- The private schools are forcing the parents to purchase books, uniforms and stationery items from selected outlets that fleece people by selling these items at higher prices, according to parents.

'The private schools' compulsion to purchase books, uniforms and stationery from the selected bookshops is a violation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Private Schools Regulatory Authority Regulation, 2018,' a senior official told Dawn.

A disappointed parent said that streamlining the affairs of private schools in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was a gigantic task that would never be achieved. He said that owners of private schools were more influential than the provincial government. 'The parents have only two forums to address their grievances that are government and court,' he added.

Section 7(4)(V) of the regulation states:'A school is not allowed to suggest or force students and their parents to purchase stationery, books, uniforms or any other thing from a particular outlet or entity.'

Despite being clearly mentioned in the regulations, the administration of the private schools handed over students the names of bookshops where their books and notebooks required for the final term would be available, one of the parents told Dawn.

Official says it is crime to force students to buy books, uniform from selected outlets

The Peshawar Model School having around a dozen educational institutions has asked the students to purchase textbooks and notebooks from the selected bookshops of the city.

'Dear parents, you are required to purchase these note books from: 1. Book Gallery, Gulbahar1, opposite Milad House, Ishrat Cinema Road. 2. Book Gallery, opposite Al-Farooq Bakery, Zaryab Colony, Peshawar City. 3. Book Gallery, I/S Sarki Gate, Peshawar City. 4. Welcome Stationers, Sunehri Masjid Road, Peshawar Cant.5. Welcome To Book Source, Bismillah Market Behind HMC, Phase IV,' reads a piece of paper provided to the students.

A father of two students told this scribe that after binding by the private schools to purchase books from their selected...

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