No money to buy uniforms for school children

KOTTAYAM: The funds provided by Sarva Shikshya Abhiyan (SSA) for school uniforms for the students of the government and aided schools in the state is falling short of cost and quality.

The scheme is meant for all girls, SC and ST students, and boys from below poverty line families from class one to eight for which SSA is providing Rs 400 for each students to get two pairs of uniform every year.

The District Project Officer A Karunakara said: “There are 1,00,168 students identified to be given uniforms in this district. The amount provided by SSA is not enough as within Rs 400, it is quite impossible to get two pairs of uniforms for the students.”

The headmasters of each government and aided schools were provided the money from whom it goes to the Parents Teacher's Association (PTA) and the School Management Committee (SMC) which is set up for every school. Mr Karunakara said it is the responsibility of the concern headmasters, PTAs and SMCs to get good materials from the market and give ready made uniforms to the students.

Head Mistress of Muttambalam Upper Primary School Merima Abrahim said there are 67 students in her school and they are wearing the old uniforms provided in 2012. “It is quite impossible to provide a ready made uniform to a student of class eight within Rs 400, but it is possible for the students of class one as they need less materials,” she said.

As per the guidelines issued by the Kerala Education Department, all the students were to given uniforms before Onam last year, but it was delayed because of the allegations of corruption in the e-tender process for which the Kerala School Teacher's Association and Students Federation of India launched protest against the government in October last year after which the tender goes to the National Textile Corporation.