Punjab Bans Private Schools From Forcing Parents to Buy Supplies From Selected Shops
LAHORE: The Punjab School Education Department has strictly banned private schools across the province from forcing parents to purchase books, uniforms, stationery, or other educational supplies from specific shops, terming the practice illegal and exploitative.
In an official notification issued on Tuesday, the department clarified that private schools are only permitted to provide parents with a list of required items, such as textbooks and stationery, and cannot compel them to buy these items from any particular vendor.
The notification stated that forcing parents to make purchases from designated shops, either directly or indirectly, violates the Punjab Private Educational Institutions (Promotion and Regulation) framework and will invite strict disciplinary action.
The move follows a surge in complaints from parents, particularly in major cities including Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad, where families have long accused private schools of commercialising education by mandating purchases from select outlets at inflated prices.
Parents have complained that schools often require them to buy uniforms, school bags, notebooks, and stationery from specific stores, with prices significantly higher than those available in the open market. Education watchdogs and consumer rights groups have previously highlighted allegations that some private institutions receive commissions from preferred suppliers, turning mandatory purchases into a source of revenue.
In several reported cases, parents claimed that students were threatened with disciplinary action or denied entry to classrooms for failing to comply with such demands.
Officials from the School Education Department said the notification aims to curb these practices, ensure transparency, and protect parents from financial exploitation. The department has advised parents to immediately lodge complaints with their respective District Education Authorities if any private school violates the directive.
Authorities have warned that strict action will be taken against institutions found guilty of non-compliance.
