Clipping of news on Brazilian Culture, Law and Citizenship
1/13/2017
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
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In consumer advocacy for 11 years, Procon-MT conciliator gives tips for parents and guardians not to get injured in the purchase of services and educational goods
Chico Valdiner / Gcom-MT
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Specialist suggests taking advantage of period of shopping to teach children conscientious consumption
FROM THE EDITOR
The year begins and the slogan "back to school" is already everywhere, remembering that it is time to enroll in the private school, go through the stationery with the list of materials and, in some cases, children.
In order to avoid possible "abuses" in the relations of consumption of goods and services related to education, the conciliator of Procon-MT Cristiane Vaz, who for 11 years acts in the defense of the consumer, recommends caution and attention. Reading the entire contracts, putting conscious consumption into practice, and seizing the moment to teach your children to save money are the specialist's top tips.
Gcom - When signing the contract with the private school for enrollment or re-enrollment, what points should be observed by the parents or guardians?
Cristiane - It is important that the father knows that it is an annual contract, in which the monthly payment is agreed. It takes the annual value and breaks in 12 monthly installments. It is important to read this agreement, because sometimes parents prioritize some extracurricular activities and schools are very common to offer other activities. This has to be determined in the contract: what is, what is the hourly load, whether the activity makes up the value of the contract or whether it is paid separately. As for renewal, the contract must be paid, that is, the school is not obliged to renew nonperforming contracts. In order to preserve the pedagogical part, there is legislation that prevents pedagogical sanction. The institution can not prohibit the student from entering the room, to do tests. If at the end of the year this contract is terminated and has not been removed, the school is not obliged to renew it. But she [the school] can not withhold documents. It can not, as a way of pressing debt repayment, hold the student's academic record.
Gcom - Is it allowed to market products as a uniform by the school unit?
Cristiane - The school has to indicate who is making their uniform. If it is an outside company and this product is marketed by the school itself, the institution will behave as a mere repasser, assisting in this transaction. Ideally, the parents of the students demand a tax invoice from the one who actually manufactured it and will give the guarantees. The uniform is a product and the school provides educational service; The institution can not market what is not legitimized in the social contract.
Gcom - Regarding the collection of possible "reservation fees", what can and can not?
Cristiane - New students will have to be enrolled in remaining vacancies, vacancies that exist. Children and adolescents who are already students of the institution are entitled to the vacancy within a term. At the end of last year [2016] there was a great deal of pressure from the schools to have their parents renew their enrollment in October and November, saying they would not guarantee the vacancy. This is a fallacy, it is not true. The school is obliged, at the beginning of the next school year, to guarantee the vacancy of its students - of course this within a deadline. Thereafter, she may open a place for new students. She can not demand it [the rematrícula] in the previous year.
Gcom - And rate for reservation?
Cristiane - We have to analyze the abusiveness of such a practice. If this guarantee signal makes up the amount of the [annual contract] monthly fee, okay, initially I can not see an injury. But if the school charges a signal and then the person goes there to confirm and the institution charges the amount of this monthly fee, which would be the registration fee, which already makes up the value of the contract, I understand as abusive, any kind of fee that stands out To the value of the contract.
Gcom - What is the orientation of Procon-MT for who will buy the school supplies?
Cristiane - Schools should make available the list of school supplies that will be used and parents have the right to question the school throughout the year, especially child education material that has a huge list of products. The father can, at any time, question the school: in what educational activity were the materials used? With regard to some materials of collective use [toilet paper, disposable cup, cleaning supplies] there is legislation that prohibits, because when the school will form the value of there are the costs and the cleaning service is one of the items that make up the cost. If the school charges these items it is as if the consumer were paying twice.
Gcom - Tips for saving on stationery
Cristiane - It's important that parents check out the materials from the previous year before going out for shopping. For example, in preschool, every year the school asks for an apron, but you can already have the apron at home or at the school itself. Parents are not in the habit of going to school at the end of the year and collecting unused materials [the student's box]. This is also possible and legitimate. Did you know after that what you do? Price research. The school may indicate a stationery, it can not condition the acquisition of materials to that company. Nowadays there is a school that sells material, too, can [the institution]? I see this with much restraint. In the school's social contract it is said that it sells educational services, it does not sell material. If she is acquiring and passing on, she can not make a profit on it because it would be illegal. Some parents find it interesting for convenience, they get together and ask the school to buy the materials. In relation to books, it is very common for parents to make changes - books that have been used and that the school will keep as didactic material. It is a form of sustainable consumption and we have to encourage this type of practice.
Gcom - In relation to school transportation, what points should be observed by the parents?
Cristiane - The first thing parents have to be careful about is whether this transport is registered, if they have the license. The vehicle has to be regular, have seatbelt, can not carry a number of students higher than the seating capacity. Another important thing is to know the origin of this driver. So it's okay to ask the driver's license to confirm that the person is qualified for that type of vehicle. Request a contract having all the clauses, because as most of the time is a verbal contract we know that there are some charges that are abusive. For example: if you do not have a contract, you do not have to pay for this transportation in the month of December, when the child does not attend school, or in January. It is important to require the formal contract.
Gcom - Who to report in case of irregularities in school transport?
Cristiane - If you find that the transport is not suitable for legislation, such as a tire, a license for operation, there is the municipal body [in Cuiabá is the Municipal Department of Urban Mobility]. In relation to the provision of the service, Procon may act. That is why the contract is important. As there is no [specific] legislation, unlike the educational service, we have to apply the principles of consumer protection and then at that time the contract is the cat's leap, because there will be written what you have actually contracted, the That the company assumed obligations and what it failed.
Gcom - What is your suggestion to parents and guardians at this time of year?
Cristiane - I disagree when the tip is not to take the kids [to school supplies]. My tip is exactly the reverse, you have to take it, it's an odd moment of education, to teach your child what it means to economize, to research, why it is important not to give in to commercial appeals. We are embedded in a consumer society, what we have to do is learn to survive in it by educating children. Trade with your child, teach him the value of research. It is very nice when the child begins to have the first notions of the value of money, the value of work. It is sublime this moment to educate the child for a better future.
Source: Newa Media
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This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.