BHOPAL: In a typical government style functioning, free school uniforms for the students of government schools from Class I-VIII are lying with the Self Help Groups (SHG) only because of communication gap.
The school dresses were prepared by the SHGs working under MP State Rural Livelihood Mission and were to be distributed through the Rajya Shiksha Kendra. Nevertheless, the principals and headmasters of the schools have refused to take the school dresses citing reasons that schools are closed for children. In such a situation, only 13 per cent of the dresses prepared by the SHGs have been distributed to the students.
After a letter from the Livelihood Mission, officials of the Rajya Shiksha Kendra issued instructions to the headmasters and principals of the schools to ensure distribution of school dresses but no results could be seen even after that.
Adding to the problem, some schools that received the school uniforms did not reflect it on their portal after which commissioner Rajya Shiksha Kendra issued instructions that district education officers should ensure distribution.
The MP State Rural Livelihood Mission had written to RSK after self-help groups complained that stitched dresses were waiting to be delivered, but the school authorities were not responding.
According to MPSRLM, 100 per cent distribution had been done only in six districts. The letter by the RLM states that 45 per cent of the uniforms are ready for distribution but only 13 per cent (13,99,813) could be distributed as the schools are shut. Sewing centres statewide have 32,45,080 uniforms waiting to be delivered to schools.
A section of teachersí reason is that distribution of dresses has become more challenging because of rains. Schools are closed and teachers will have to visit house to house for distribution of the dresses.
No distribution has been done in more than a dozen districts including Bhopal district. In the state capital, school uniforms were to be distributed to more than 84,000 students but the dresses havenít reached them yet.
