Little help from govt, school heads rope in NGOs to purchase uniform

Archit Watts

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Tribune News Service

Muktsar, December 10

While a majority of government school heads are finding it difficult to provide “good quality” uniforms to students from Classes I to VIII with the grant of Rs 400 for each student, there are a few teachers who have arranged more funds by seeking help from a few social organisations and philanthropists and made uniforms matching the standards of private schools.

Ram Singh, head teacher of Government Primary School, Gilzewala village, has provided all 134 students with good quality uniform and that too by not seeking any additional financial assistance from the education department. He contacted some social welfare clubs and they agreed to contribute money for this purpose.

“We are now also planning to give ties, belts to students and also issue them identity cards,” he added.

Another government teacher said, “We get Rs 400 for the uniform of each student. But we have to buy a shirt, trouser for boys and salwar suit for girls, turban or cap for boys and dupatta for girls, a pair of shoes, socks and one sweater. However, it is impossible to buy all these things in such a meagre amount. Thus these products are substandard, having little life and that’s why students in government schools are quite often seen not wearing uniforms. A good quality uniform costs nearly Rs 800.”

Notably, Union Ministry for Human Resource Development gives Rs 400 for the uniform of each student from Classes I to VIII. The state has written a number of times to the Centre in the past to revise the cost, which was set a few years ago.

Baljit Kumar, DEO, Muktsar, said, “There are 25 per cent schools where teachers have arranged more funds with the help of school management committees. This is true that a complete uniform set can’t be purchased with just Rs 400.”