As the academic year approaches its end within the next three to four months, students enrolled in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) schools find themselves without school uniforms. Now, they are likely to celebrate the Republic Day function with old uniforms or casual dress. The repeated change in policy affected the procurement of school uniforms.
The Education Department of NMMC used to transfer money to parents' bank accounts for buying school uniforms and other materials. However, this system faced challenges as a significant number of parents either did not possess a bank account or, if they did, had not operated it for a long time.
The education department decided to provide school uniforms by procuring at its own level. It opted for an e-form system, initiating a tender process for procurement.
Following a tendering process, out of 25 uniform suppliers, 23 were finalised. The municipal officials informed that they sent cloth samples for uniforms to the government committee for approval. After getting an approval, the civic body can allow suppliers for manufacturing. However, the whole process was delayed and the procurement of uniforms for students was delayed.
Subsequently, the administration decided to expedite the process and instructed school principals to purchase uniforms by collecting money from parents. Later, the school would transfer money to parents directly. However, many economically weaker parents were not able to pay between Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 for uniforms.
Now, the civic body has decided to adopt the direct bank transfer (DBT) for school uniforms. A senior official from the Education Department says that the civic administration is trying to ensure that the students of all schools of NMMC get free uniforms. “Due to various difficulties in the procurement of uniforms that could not happen, the municipal administration has now decided to introduce a direct transfer scheme,” said the official.