Summer uniforms leave parents in fix

CHANDIGARH: With the government schools' academic session all set to begin from April 1, parents could be seen worrying over the lack of information about the purchase of summer uniform by the schools. On the other hand, UT's government schools are waiting for the department's notice on procurement regarding summer uniforms.
Tenders have been provided to 107 government schools in the UT through which the schools have to finalize an agency which would be given the responsibility of distributing the uniforms according to guidelines issued by the education department.
According to parents and teachers, the procurement process should have started by February.
A government school teacher, on condition of anonymity, said, "We are surprised that till now the schools have not received any notice regarding school uniforms. Ideally, the process should have begun by February as the entire process takes at least two-three months."
A government model school principal said, "Generally uniforms are distributed before the new session, but the delay in the issuance of notice had further delayed the distribution of summer uniforms."
Swaran Singh Kamboj, RTI activist and president of UT Cadre Educational Employees Union, said, "Winter uniforms were distributed during the summer and that too sweaters were not a part of it. And now, there is a delay in summer uniforms distribution. The department should have learnt from its last experience and taken precautions that would have avoided the delay in summer uniforms."
When contacted, director of public instructions Kamlesh Kumar, refused to comment.