News
Late vouchers have school uniforms in a twist
Uniform material, and inset, a voucher. Pix by Sarath Siriwardhena
The government’s sudden decision to do away school uniform material with cash vouchers is causing hardship to both the school administration and parents.
The main problem that administrators faced, whether in schools in Colombo, the suburbs and the outstations, was the problem of delivering the vouchers on time to parents before the closure of schools for year end holidays.
Several school administrations said they were pressed for time because the instructions to distribute the vouchers came without prior notice and they were unprepared for the task as many were involved in year-end activities and programmes.
They complained that they received the vouchers only on December 2 evening and that the principals and staff had to work overnight the following day to prepare the vouchers, writing identity card numbers, and the school bank account number endorsed by the principal of the school.
While some schools distributed the vouchers to parents on December 4, the last day of term, there were several students who did not receive their vouchers as their parents did not turn up on the last day.
Mahakandara Sudharshana Vidyalaya teacher Sirima Perera said that the teachers and the principal had worked from 9.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on December 2 to complete the vouchers for distribution the following next day.
Kotahena Central College principal Dharmadasa Galaboda said they received the vouchers late and were unable to distribute them on December 4.
He said the school had around 1000 students and he had to sign around 2000 vouchers (boys are issued two sets of vouchers for the trouser and shirt) in one day.
“We received the vouchers only on December 8, so we will be able to give them only after school reopens in the first week of January.Dharmarama Khanishta Vidyalaya, principal Shiran Chamindra said many parents did not turn up on the last day of school although the vouchers were ready for distribution.
The principal of this primary school in Galle said many mothers were daily wage earners who worked in the garment factories in the area and could not make it on December 4. They were faced with the dilemma of foregoing a day’s wages to get a voucher of Rs.450.
As there were strict instructions that the vouchers had be handed over only to the parents, proxies who turned up to collect the vouchers on their behalf were turned away.
Meanwhile some parents complained that the schools just issued the vouchers with no clear information on where to purchase the fabric.
Kusum whose child attends St. John’s School, Mattakuliya said he had to go from shop to shop looking for appointed agents. “Eventually I came across a shop with a board indicating that they accept the voucher,” she said.
Jamis Aiya , a fish monger , said that he had to forego a day’s work to go in search of uniform material for his son. “I had to forego another Rs. 500,” he said.
Amidst the confusion there were allegations that some principals were making a fast buck by collecting the vouchers and buying material from designated shops for the parents.
Ceylon Teachers’ Union, (CTU), General Secretary, Joseph Stalin charged that this was a gimmick by the government to frustrate the parents into giving up on the uniform material.
It is learnt that many parents in the Galle District were inconvenienced when the schools turned them back without vouchers because of various lapses on the part of the schools.
Meantime the parents claim that they have to pocket out extra money for the purchase, as the assigned amount in the vouchers was insufficient. Shops were supplying low quality material instead of the 65 % cotton and 35% tetron material that has been prescribed for the uniform.
Some shops also rejected several vouchers that did not have the school principal’s stamp (seal?) on the vouchers. The principals claim that a circular only requested the signature of the principal and, vice principal and the bank account number and nothing was mentioned about the stamp.
Meanwhile the Teachers’ and Principals’ Trade Union Collective (TPTUC) consisting of nine trade unions said that they will not participate in the issuing of vouchers as it was impractical and time consuming.
Mr. Stalin speaking for the TPTUC said if there was corruption in the previous system of distributing uniform material then the government should investigate the wrong doers and punish them instead of taxing the people.
He said tthe system was not practical pointing out that if a parent had three children in different schools they would have had to take three days leave to procure the vouchers.
“We ask the minister to follow the tender procedures set out in the National Procurement Policy in the 19th amendment and find solutions,” he said.
Meanwhile Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said that the distribution of the vouchers in schools was successful and that 95% of the students have received vouchers. “Last year only 35% of the material was distributed,” he said, replaying to allegations that the new system was flawed.
He refuted claims that the vouchers were handed over to the schools for distribution. He said that zonal directors had been asked to summon all principals and hand over the vouchers by December 1.
He further said that it was not compulsory that only the principal should sign the voucher, even a teacher could sign. “We have extended the validity of the vouchers for three months, until February 28 next year. Earlier it was two months,” he added.