Punjab bans private schools from forcing parents to buy supplies from selected shops

The Punjab School Education Department has strictly prohibited private schools in the province from pressuring parents into purchasing books, uniforms, stationery, or other educational materials from certain stores, terming the practice as “illegal and exploitative.”

According to an official notification, the Punjab School Education Department has clarified that forcing parents to purchase items from certain vendors is illegal and against the law that regulates private educational institutions in the province.

The department clarified that private schools are only allowed to give parents a list of necessary items, such as books and stationery, and cannot force them to purchase these items from a certain store.

The Punjab School Education Department stated that forcing parents to purchase items from certain stores, either directly or indirectly, is against the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) and will result in strict action.

The development comes after a number of complaints from parents, especially in major cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad. Parents have long complained that private schools are making a business out of education by forcing parents to purchase uniforms, bags, copies, and stationery from certain stores at exorbitant rates that are much higher than the market price.

This has been previously reported by education watchdogs and consumer rights organizations, where some private schools allegedly receive commissions from certain suppliers, thus making mandatory purchases a source of income. In some instances, parents claimed that their children were threatened with punishment or not allowed in class if they did not comply.

According to officials from the School Education Department, the notice is intended to stop such practices and promote transparency. The notice requires parents to immediately submit complaints to their respective District Education Authority if any school forces them to purchase goods from a certain shop.