Kerala: Schools split over move for uniform dress code

Thiruvananthapuram: The state government’s plan to introduce a common designer uniform for the students of government and aided schools has been kept on the backburner following opposition from stakeholders.

Though the Kendriya Vidyalaya had introduced such a common uniform across the country, there is opposition here on the practicability as there are more government and aided schools than the central institutions. One complaint is that the move would affect discipline as it will make it difficult to identify the students of various schools in public places. The common uniform was mooted in the background of Sarva Siksha Abhiyan decision to distribute two pairs of free uniforms to all students, except boys, who belong to the APL category, up to standard VIII in aided and government schools. Earlier, the scheme was confined only to government schools.

The central government would provide funds for only uniforms for government schools and the state government has to fund the aided schools. Last year, the schools were given a set of 10 different patterns to choose from the list submitted by the textile suppliers empanelled by the SSA. All-Kerala State Teachers Union general secretary N. Sreekumar told DC that the uniforms had not reached the schools even after the end of the academic year.

Following this, the government handed over the funds to the school PTAs concerned for purchasing the uniforms, Mr Sreekumar said. This year, the government schools were provided Rs 38 crore from the central funds. However, the government needed Rs 60 crore. Though the cabinet meeting on June 3 was to decide on the issue, nothing happened. As two-thirds of the schools are in the aided sector, the majority of the students have not received uniforms till date, Mr Sreekumar said.

The previous LDF government’s decision to make wearing of khadi uniforms compulsory once a week in all its schools in the state had raised many eyebrows. Teachers and other employees of the schools were also instructed to wear khadi. Implemented jointly by the departments of industries and general education, the scheme, however, did not make much headway.

The direction had come close on the heels of the LDF government’s instructions to all its employees to use khadi once a week. The idea was apparently to boost the khadi and handloom industry. But the appeal did not work. Kerala CBSE School Management Association general secretary Indira Rajan said that CBSE schools have different uniform patterns. Some schools have shirt and skirts, some others churidar and boy schools have shirt and pants. The uniforms should be modest and decent, she said.

Maya Mohan, principal, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Vaduthala, Kochi, said that all Chinmaya schools in the country have uniforms. “We have light blue top and grey bottom for both girls and boys. We had tie earlier but stopped it owing to our hot weather. We give different attire for students in check top and grey bottom on Friday to allow them to have a difference. Earlier, we had brown top but it was stopped as parents complained that the colour of the cloth faded fast. We don’t attach much philosophy on the uniform. We go by the common code of Chinmaya and insist on cotton cloth to make student comfortable,” said Maya Mohan.

St Philomena’s Public School and Junior College, Elanji, Ernakulam, makes the uniforms elegant and not ostentatious. The bottom portion for both boys and girls is Navy blue while top is sky blue. Boys have pants and shirt while girls haveskirt and shirt. Tie with grey, sky blue stripes for students up to 10th and black and sky blue stripes for class 11 and 12 are also part of the uniform. “On Wednesdays black pant and house-wise tea shirts are allowed. The school is divided into different houses. This is to give a difference to the students in the middle of the week and parents will also get time to wash the uniforms,” said Mathew Peter, Vice-Principal of the school. “We introduced tie because ours is an English medium school but are keen that students wear only cotton to remain comfortable in our climate,” he said. Psychologist Aravind Thampi said that uniform is needed in schools as students who come from different social, economic and cultural background should not feel the differences. Many schools have uniforms that did not confirm to the climatic conditions of the state. “The tie does not match the climate here. It is good for European countries as they have cold climate,” Mr Thampi said.