School uniform orders: State pushes for timely submission to SHGs

Kolkata: The state School Education department has directed the District Inspectors of Schools (DI) at both the primary and secondary levels to ensure that the final work orders for school uniforms are submitted to the Self Help Groups (SHG). This move aims to ensure that no student is left without a uniform for the academic year 2024.

According to the directive from the Commissioner of School Education, the concerned Sub-Inspectors of Schools (SI) or heads of institutions must complete the issuance of the revised and final work orders under the Banglar Shiksha Portal by October 30.

Failure to do so will result in the system being unavailable for further modifications. A google sheet listing the defaulter schools was also shared for updating the school-specific status.

The directive emphasises that “no eligible student should be left out from receiving a school uniform for this year, despite being enrolled on time.” Compliance status will be reviewed on October 28.

From pre-primary to class VIII, students in all government, government-aided, and government-sponsored schools receive common blue-white colour-coded uniforms featuring the ‘Biswa Bangla’ logo, free-of-cost. Each student is provided with two sets of uniforms, made by women from self-help groups (SHG/Sangha) under the ‘Anandadhara’ project. For the academic year 2024, many schools have already received one or, in some cases, two sets of uniforms.

“The deadline for issuing work orders by the schools was set for July. However, about 5 per cent of schools have yet to issue these orders, resulting in some students still lacking uniforms.

Also, due to procedural reasons some Self Help Groups have not received payment due to the absence of formal work orders from schools,” stated Chandan Garai, Secretary of the All Post Graduate Teachers Welfare Association.