Ludhiana: Grant for school uniforms insufficient: Govt primary school heads

A grant of ₹21.1 crore has been issued by the Punjab education department to provide uniforms to 351,724 government school students in the state. The grant includes ₹2.3 crore for 39,296 pre-primary students in all 992 primary schools in Ludhiana

: The per student grant given by the education department to provide uniforms to the students of pre-primary classes in government schools has put the school heads in a tight spot, who say that the amount of ₹600 is insufficient for the whole uniform of a pupil, including identity cards, sweaters, gloves, a tie and a belt.

Members of school management committees at different schools in Ludhiana said that instead of transferring the funds for uniforms to schools, they have been asked to seek quotations from different vendors and submit the receipts at the Block Primary Education Office (BPEO), which will be reimbursed later. (HT PHOTO)

A grant of ₹21.1 crore has been issued by the Punjab education department to provide uniforms to 351,724 government school students in the state. The grant includes ₹2.3 crore for 39,296 pre-primary students in all 992 primary schools in Ludhiana.

Members of school management committees at different schools said that instead of transferring the funds to schools, they have been asked to seek quotations from different vendors and submit the receipts at the Block Primary Education Office (BPEO), which will be reimbursed later. The school teachers said that it is hard to find vendors who would be willing to provide the uniforms on credit.

The schools are required to use the grant money by January 31. There are 188,63 students in the lower kindergarten and 20,433 students in the Upper Kindergarten (UKG) classes in government primary schools in Ludhiana.

A teacher, requesting anonymity, said that even as the department has issued the funds for the uniforms for pre-primary classes for the first time, many schools have already purchased the uniforms from the school funds. As the outgoing batch of UKG classes will receive uniforms, the new batch in the upcoming session would still not be having uniforms.

The teacher added that schools struggle to find vendors who are ready to provide the uniforms for this amount.

The schools have been asked to buy a shirt, a pant, a sweater, shoes, socks, a cap, identity card, gloves, a tie, and a belt which is practically not possible to procure within ₹600, she said, adding the schools will have to contribute funds out of their own pocket and would have to compromise on quality.

Deputy district education officer (primary) Jasvinder Singh said the amount has been sanctioned by the department according to the set norms, and the same amount is issued for other classes as well.

He said that the schools have been directed to submit the receipts before January 31. He added that strict orders have been given to keep the process transparent.