Second set of school uniforms arriving after two years in Karnataka

HIGLIGHTS

• The second set of uniforms for government school children in the state are arriving finally after two years.

• The Samagra Sikshana Abhiyan (SSA) has issued a circular directing School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs) to purchase uniform cloth, stitch and supply them to students of grades 6 to 10 as the schools have completed resumed the classes. Even the freedom to choose the colour of the uniform has been given to SDMCs.

• This second set of uniforms were due in the 2019-20 academic year and the supply was delayed due to a fund crunch. In March 2020, following the decision taken in a cabinet meeting, the SSA had transferred Rs 100 crore to the SDMCs but again directed the authorities to stop procuring the second set of uniforms as the state government declared holidays for schools following the Covid-19 outbreak.

• However, the circular dated October 4, 2021, has directed the SDMCs to utilise the funds released for the purchase of the second set of uniforms. “To utilise the funds released, the SDMCs have to consider the students’ strength based on the data available on Students Achievement Tracking System (SATS) as per 2019-20 academic year,” the circular read.

• Even now, the supply of the second set of uniforms will be only for children of grades 6 to 10 and the SSA has asked authorities concerned to initiate procurement for grades 1 to 5, only after the resumption of physical classes for these students.

CONCLUSION

• Each pair of uniforms costs Rs 250 per student. “The fund has already been transferred to the joint account of the school headmaster and SDMC in two instalments. As the schools were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the SDMCs were directed to hold the process,” said a senior official from SSA Karnataka.

• The second set of uniforms were supposed to be distributed at the beginning of the academic year. But the same was delayed due to a lack of funds. The first set of uniforms will be supplied by the department of public instruction and the second set by SSA with funds from the Union Ministry for Education.