Sub-standard uniforms expose teacher factions

The poor quality of uniforms supplied to the government schools in Srirangapatna taluk has not only drawn flak from the parents but also exposed the animosity between the teachers.

On Friday, the Government Higher Primary School at Subbanakuppe in the taluk saw parents trickling in from the morning only to return the uniforms. The parents complained that, canvas was not used for the shirt collars, pockets were left to be stitched and some shirts lacked buttons in full. It was much worse in the case of girl students uniforms.

Taking note of the complaints, the School Development Monitoring Committee (SDMC) at T M Hosuru school in the taluk has sent back the uniforms to the supplier. All the white uniforms have been returned, according to teacher Geetha Hegde.

Former president of Primary School Teachers Association Siddalingu said, in all, there are 64 Lower Primary schools and 61 Higher Primary schools in the taluk. J K Enterprises, a private company, has distributed uniforms for 5,700 students.

The order was entrusted to the company as per the suggestions of new body of the association. Since the uniforms were totally substandard, they have been returned. Schools at Hebbadi, Neralakere, Gamanahalli, Acchappakoppalu and others have also returned the uniforms, he said.

However, Block Education Officer C M Honnaraju denied that the association has a say in the purchase of uniforms. As per the procedure, a meeting should be convened by the SDMC  to deal with such matters.

Each student is being allotted Rs 160 for fabric and Rs 40 as stitching charge and the money has been deposited with the bank account of the committee. The headmasters of the respective schools are responsible for the prevailing confusion, he alleged.