Image used for representational purpose only. (File photo | PTI)
BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has ordered a probe into distribution of low quality uniforms to students. According to Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA) Project Director Bhupendra Singh Poonia, a number of allegations have been received at the State level regarding distribution of poor quality uniforms to students.
In a letter to all district project coordinators (DPCs) of OPEPA, Poonia said, “This is the result of lack of supervision at the field level.
The allegations have surfaced despite an earlier order of OPEPA directing schools, which have received more than Rs 5,000 for purchase of uniforms and shoes, to sign an agreement with one of the GST registered distributors in their locality besides maintaining all procurement details in record books to ensure that there is no compromise with the quality.”
All students, except boys belonging to APL category, from Class I to VIII are being provided uniforms free of cost. The State Government is spending Rs 400 per student towards two pairs of school uniforms.
“Quality can be ensured if distribution of uniforms is properly monitored by field level officials in an organised manner,” Poonia said. The OPEPA director also asked officials of School and Mass Education department at the field level to check and verify the distribution of uniforms at schools through a random crosscheck method and inform the same to OPEPA at the earliest.
Besides uniform, the State Government has also decided to provide a pair of black shoes and white shocks free of cost to students from this year. It will come up with a separate notification regarding distribution of uniforms and shoes to students of grant-in-aid schools and boys belonging to APL in primary and upper primary schools soon.
