A directive by School and Mass Education (SME) Department to provide school uniforms to all students, including those in the APL category, ahead of the Independence Day celebration, has put the school authorities concerned here in a fix.
Earlier this year, under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), ` 400 was sanctioned against each student by the SME Department to supply two pairs of uniforms to those belonging to SC & ST and BPL families in government elementary schools and day scholars and boarders of schools run by the ST & SC Development Department.
At the recent block-level Samarthya training programme, the authorities of SSA, asked all the headmasters to provide one pair of uniform to all students including those belonging to APL category. To make things worse, no additional funds have been earmarked for the purpose.
District project coordinator, SSA, Nirmal Chandra Das said although there is no provision to supply uniform to APL students, the instruction was given to the headmasters to maintain uniformity among all students during the I-Day celebrations.
District Primary School Teachers Association president Banmali Moharana said the directive has put school administrations in problems as there aren’t enough funds to supply uniforms to all. “Whatever funds were sanctioned under SSA for uniforms had already been utilised. With no new allotment being made, from where will we source funds for the additional uniforms? she asked.