The State government is thinking of changing the colour of school uniforms supplied to government school children free of cost from the next academic year, according to Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Horatti said he had called a meeting of education department officers in this regard . “There is a general feeling that the blue colour uniform now supplied to the school children is in use for a long time. Like some private schools, we may go in for checked design; but the colour is yet to be decided”, he said.
The government will incur an expenditure of Rs 75 crore towards the supply of free uniform.
To a query, Horatti made it clear that the order for supply of uniforms will be placed with the Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation.
Horatti, who reviewed the steps being taken to print the text books with the officials, allayed the apprehensions that there would be a delay in the supply for the next academic year.
He stated that the books would be supplied either in the last week of April or first week of May. From the coming academic year, the government would also distribute text books to girls and SC/ST students studying in aided schools free of cost.
About 3.38 crore books will be provided to students of the government schools. Horatti stated that rules are being framed for the new bill concerning teachers transfer which has received governor’s consent.
The crux of the new policy is that there should be no large scale transfer of teachers. “All teachers have to compulsorily serve in C category zone. Based on seniority, teachers will be transferred from C zone to B zone and then to A zone. The power to transfer teachers to B and C zone will be vested with the Commissioners”, Mr Horatti explained.
A notification regarding appointment of 3300 teachers, who have crossed the age-limit, will be issued within a week after obtaining State Election Commission’s consent.
To a query the minister replied that all but about half a dozen teachers of the total 1407 who were deputed to other departments have come back to the education department.
