Over 39K pre-primary kids in Ludhiana govt schools to get uniforms

With 18,863 LKG and 20,433 UKG school students in Ludhiana, ₹23,77,600 has been released by the state department to the district education department for the uniforms

With a fund of ₹600 per student granted by the state government to 993 government primary schools in the district, over 39,200 students of pre-primary classes will be provided uniforms by the education department.

Ludhiana district education officer (elementary) Baldev Singh said the process to transfer the amount to the school accounts has been initiated and schools have been directed to issue contracts to vendors on their own. He said the department has instructed that the amount is to be utilised within a stipulated time period for uniforms. (HT PHOTO)

The state finance ministry had issued a budget of ₹21-crore for distributing uniforms to lower kindergarten (LKG) and upper kindergarten (UKG) students across the state. With 18,863 LKG students and 20,433 UKG students in Ludhiana, ₹23,77,600 has been released by the state department to the district education department.

Pre-primary classes at the primary schools of Punjab were started in 2017 for children aged between three to five.

District education officer (elementary) Baldev Singh said the process to transfer the amount to the school accounts has been initiated and schools have been directed to issue contracts to vendors on their own. He said the department has instructed that the amount is to be utilised within a stipulated time period for uniforms.

He said a meeting regarding the same was held with the primary education officers of all blocks in the district.

School heads in a fix

A headteacher of a primary school, requesting anonymity, said as the grants have been issued late, a number of schools have arranged the uniforms at their own expense. She said since grants have been issued towards the end of the session, uniforms for students of new session could not be arranged.

She added that the school management finds it hard to arrange the whole uniform which includes a pair of shoes, trousers, a shirt and winter clothes as well.

Pre-board exams from Jan 20

Ahead of final examination, pre-board exam dates for government school students of Classes 5, 8, 10 and 12 have been announced. The exams will be held from January 20 to February 4.