Jalandhar, December 30
With just a day for the winter holidays at schools to end, worries on how to clothe their wards in the chilly winters have begun clouding the brow of teachers across government schools. With just a meagre amount of Rs 400 (per child) received as uniform grants, teachers are in a fix as to how to buy proper woollens uniforms with the chilly northern plains hitting sub zero temperatures.
While disbursal of uniform grants has been going on for the past three years, the amount has stayed the same despite a substantial rise in prices.
A teacher at a government school in a village area said, "We can either keep the money aside or buy substandard uniforms for students which wouldn't be enough to provide them warmth."
"While the winters are so intense the money is just enough to manage the bare minimum clothing while the government is expecting us to provide shirts, pants, shoes, socks and sweaters, all within a mere Rs 400. The students will undoubtedly have to brave the cold with clothes bought from this amount. It is callous to expect students to manage with such meagre money," he added.
Another teacher teaching at a senior secondary school says, "While this amount might still be manageable for students of the primary schools, it is unrealistic to expect clothes bought for senior secondary students with Rs 400 would provide adequate protection to them. The clothes either will be substandard, hence, insufficient for the winters or they will tear too soon. The government has put us in a precarious situation and most staff members at schools are chipping in with their own money."
However, even primary school teachers disagree.
"Even for a small child the money isn't enough. We are receiving help from an NRI in the area, otherwise it would have been difficult for our students," said a teacher teaching in the bazaar area.
DEO Neelam Kumari said, "Even three years ago the amount wasn't enough. Now, prices have raised manifolds. But it's a scheme from the centre (under the Sarv Sikhiya Abhiyan). We can only ask teachers to contribute from the welfare fund to ensure proper protection for children."
With just a day for the winter holidays at schools to end, worries on how to clothe their wards in the chilly winters have begun clouding the brow of teachers across government schools. With just a meagre amount of Rs 400 (per child) received as uniform grants, teachers are in a fix as to how to buy proper woollens uniforms with the chilly northern plains hitting sub zero temperatures.
While disbursal of uniform grants has been going on for the past three years, the amount has stayed the same despite a substantial rise in prices.
A teacher at a government school in a village area said, "We can either keep the money aside or buy substandard uniforms for students which wouldn't be enough to provide them warmth."
"While the winters are so intense the money is just enough to manage the bare minimum clothing while the government is expecting us to provide shirts, pants, shoes, socks and sweaters, all within a mere Rs 400. The students will undoubtedly have to brave the cold with clothes bought from this amount. It is callous to expect students to manage with such meagre money," he added.
Another teacher teaching at a senior secondary school says, "While this amount might still be manageable for students of the primary schools, it is unrealistic to expect clothes bought for senior secondary students with Rs 400 would provide adequate protection to them. The clothes either will be substandard, hence, insufficient for the winters or they will tear too soon. The government has put us in a precarious situation and most staff members at schools are chipping in with their own money."
However, even primary school teachers disagree.
"Even for a small child the money isn't enough. We are receiving help from an NRI in the area, otherwise it would have been difficult for our students," said a teacher teaching in the bazaar area.
DEO Neelam Kumari said, "Even three years ago the amount wasn't enough. Now, prices have raised manifolds. But it's a scheme from the centre (under the Sarv Sikhiya Abhiyan). We can only ask teachers to contribute from the welfare fund to ensure proper protection for children."
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