Checks coming soon in schools Education PS

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

EDUCATION, Science, Vocational Training and Early Education acting Permanent Secretary Henry Tukombe says random check-ups will soon be conducted in schools to ensure uniforms are not sold in schools anymore as was the practice before.

Mr Tukombe said in an interview with Femail that the selling of uniforms by school authorities has continued despite the ban.

The standards, monitoring and planning department will ensure that this ban is adhered to. Mr Tukombe said the ban has continued facing defiance because it is a money-making venture by some school administrations.

"The Ministry of Education has maintained the ban and there is no time it was revoked," he said. Government in 2012 banned the sale of uniforms by school authorities due to the exorbitant prices that were being charged.

Mr Tukombe also said, "It is only Catholic schools that have entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education to continue to selling uniforms.

This is understandable because these schools have never changed their uniforms since they first started operating.''

He said it is wrong for parents and guardians to be pressured into buy uniforms from schools because they are usually costly.

He advised schools to desist from changing uniforms every so often because the practice is costly on parents.