Government School Uniform Scheme Sparks Concern as Stitching Costs Burden Parents
Parents of government school students say free uniform cloth offers little relief because expensive tailoring charges are forcing many families to spend more than buying ready made uniforms themselves.
The new academic year has already begun in Karnataka, but the government school uniform scheme has become a major concern for many parents. While the School Education Department has distributed free uniform fabric to students, families are now struggling with the high cost of getting those uniforms stitched.
In Bengaluru, parents say tailoring charges have climbed so much that stitching a single set of school uniform can cost between Rs 1300 and Rs 1500. For many low income families, this expense is difficult to manage, especially when they expected the uniform scheme to reduce their financial burden.
Many parents argue that the current system no longer serves its intended purpose. They believe the amount required for stitching is enough to purchase two ready made school uniforms from the market. Because of this, several families are urging the government to provide fully stitched uniforms instead of only distributing fabric.
The issue has become even more noticeable because the department has reportedly been supplying only cloth for the past two years, leaving parents responsible for tailoring expenses. As a result, some families have delayed stitching the new uniforms, and many students continue attending school in their old uniforms despite receiving new fabric.
Parents have also pointed out another practical concern regarding the uniform design. Boys in Class 7 are reportedly being provided cloth meant for shorts, while many students of that age prefer wearing full length trousers. Since they are unwilling to wear shorts, several parents are purchasing trousers separately with their own money, making the government supplied fabric less useful.
The uniform distribution includes different designs for boys and girls. Boys receive light blue shirt fabric along with navy blue material for shorts, while girls are provided fabric for dresses featuring multiple colors along with green bottoms, a matching dupatta and navy blue skirt material. However, without affordable tailoring, many of these materials remain unused.
The growing frustration has prompted parents to raise their concerns with teachers and local authorities. Several families have openly stated that they would rather buy uniforms on their own than spend heavily on stitching government supplied cloth.
Responding to the issue, officials have acknowledged the complaints. The Chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Santosh Kumar, has assured that the matter will be brought before the government for consideration. School Education Commissioner Vikas Kishore Suralkar has also said that the concerns over rising tailoring costs and parental dissatisfaction will be communicated to the government.
As schools continue with the new academic session, parents are hoping the uniform policy will be reviewed. They believe that providing ready made uniforms or introducing support for tailoring expenses would ensure that the scheme genuinely benefits students instead of creating an additional financial burden for families.
