Now, uniforms not compulsory for online classes

Ranchi: The state education department has decided to do away with the compulsory uniform rule during the online classes it conducted for government school students. The students will also be not sent back if they come to their schools without uniforms to collect dry ration or depositing fees.
The move comes in the wake of problems faced by the students as garment shops were shut and their parents were facing financial problems because of the Covid-induced lockdowns.
Currently, the department is carrying out online classes through various apps like YouTube. The attendance of students in these classes is, however, low.
Speaking on the issue, the director of the Jharkhand Project Education Council, Shailesh Chaurasia, said, “Though we encourage school dress for students, there is no compulsion. Our basic aim is that a maximum number of students should participate in the online classes.”
Online classroom coordinator Kumari Deepa of the Ranchi district school said, “The students are asked to join the classrooms with their study material, including books, copy books and pens. They are expected to appear tidy but there is no admonishment if they are not in school uniform.”
She informed that due to various issues, including poor connectivity and lack of gadgets, the participation of students in online classes has been reduced to 10% or 15%.
A senior official of the school said with cloth shops shut for months due to the restrictions, students would have faced problems getting new school uniforms if they were compulsory.
The principal of Bariyatu Government Girls’ High School, Rita Kumari, said although the dress code is not enforced, students appear for the online classes in tidy clothes. She pointed out that it is difficult to monitor each student as most of them put their devices in mute mode. The students unmute the devices only when they have to ask questions or give answers.
It may be stated here that the state government provides one set of uniforms to all students from Class I to VIII while girl students get it till Class XII. Many parents also said their children have outgrown their uniforms after more than a year of lockdown.