The State Government has allegedly failed in providing school uniforms to the students under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme this academic year.
While the target is underway to supply uniforms by August, the school authorities are facing difficulties for providing uniforms to the students at cheap costs as decided by the Government.
Free school uniforms are provided to students of Classes-I to VIII in all the State-run schools under the SSA. Each student gets two pairs of uniform per year. After the payment is made by the Government, the concerned school’s managing committee proceeds for preparing the uniforms.
Currently, the Government is providing Rs 400 per year for two pairs of uniforms. Earlier, the amount was `392.
However, it has become a difficult task for the school authorities for stitching pants and shirts for boys and frocks and salwars for girls with the sanctioned amount.
Notably, frock is the uniform for girls from Classes-I to V and salwar suit is for girls from Classes-VII to VIII.
Although preparing uniforms for junior class students can be manageable at Rs 200, making dresses for senior students has been difficult for the school authorities. As a result, the students are being provided polyester dresses instead of cotton dresses, and they are bound to wear low-quality dress materials.
Similarly, it is difficult to provide white apron with the salwar suits for girl. Even, the agencies assigned for stitching the uniforms express helplessness to provide better-quality cloth materials.
Under this backdrop, the Government is taking little initiative for raising the amount towards providing school uniforms despite pressure from several sections.