New Task Force To Probe Complaints Against Private Schools In Punjab

The Punjab government has said that it will set up a new task force to investigate complaints received by parents, students, against private schools in the state.

The Bhagwant Mann led Punjab government has announced to form a task force to look into complaints against private schools, news agency PTI reported. The move comes from Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains in the backdrop of several complaints against private schools for looting money from students and parents.

"Taking strict notice of the loot being done by private schools in the name of books and funds, Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has formed a task force to stop this," the report added quoting an official statement. The new task force will comprise three school principals from each district and will investigate complaints received against schools. The task force shall submit its report to the regulatory authority, the report added further. 

Citing that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has also received several complaints against private schools in the past few months, Education minister Bains has said that the state government will never allow the transformation of education into a business in the state. He further added that all educational activity in the state will have to adhere to the laws and regulations, and those who violate them will not be spared. 

He further underlined that the District Education Officers sent a letter to all private schools of the state asking them to abide by the rules and regulations of the school regulatory authority pertaining to books, copies, fees, and funds. 

Considering the fact that schools sell class 1 books for around 7,000 rupees, Bains has also called upon school managements to teach only NCERT textbooks and submit a report on the revised funds by April 30, 2023. 

As per norms, schools located in towns are required to suggest three to five shops for students to buy books from. However, cities like Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar are required to list at least 20 such shops. 

Earlier last year, the Punjab government directed schools to not force students to buy books and other items from specific shops. 

Recently, the Maharashtra government too announced a new panel to draft guidelines to regulate private schools and limit fees in such schools. 

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