Karnataka: Teachers, committees, parents pitch in for uniforms, instead of waiting for government

DHARWAD: Teachers, school committee members and parents of a school in the Dharwad district have all pitched in to get uniforms made for 109 students because they know that government funds are generally late in arriving and in some cases self-help is the best help.
The school is in Kalasa village in the Kundgol taluk of Dharwad district. The residents have seen delays from the government in supplying free uniforms every year, so the school development monitoring committee and teachers of the Government Higher Primary School decided to do it themselves, along with the parents.
Now, all children from Classes 1-5 have a set of uniforms. The government did not supply uniforms in the past two years because of the pandemic. This year, too, there was a delay in supply.
Realising that the uniform was unlikely to arrive soon, the parents and SDMC members met and decided to contribute the funds for the uniforms. They called a tailor who took the measurements of each child and stitched the uniform. Each student was provided one set.
School headmaster Basavaraj Hosalli said the government supplies two sets of uniforms to each student. "This (the funds contribution) has helped us a lot," he said. SDMC president Rekha Melinamani said each uniform cost Rs 250 and the parents were happy to contribute. DDPI S S Keladimath lauded the goodwill gesture by the SDMC members, teachers and parents.
He said that with people's participation and cooperation many things can be achieved and good facilities can be provided to children.