These uniforms do not fit BMC school students

Mumbai: Much to the chagrin of their parents, students of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools continue to attend their respective institutions in regular clothes, despite the present academic session beginning in the middle of June this year.

After an over-five-month delay, while the boys are yet to receive the new uniforms, those distributed to the girls are ill-fitting.

Matunga based activist, Nitin Dalvi raised this issue on behalf of parents of girl students of Mumbai Public School (MPS), in Matunga, as he said, “The uniforms are either too short for the kids to wear or the sleeves are so loose that they are slipping off their shoulders. Parents do not want to send their girls in such poorly stitched uniform,” said Dalvi. “Boys are yet to receive the new uniforms.”

Rajesh Kankal, education officer, BMC, however argued that the “uniforms are stitched as per age groups”. “If they do not fit, we will manage by giving away the uniforms to kids from other classes in exchange. However, if the issue persists, parents can take it up with the headmaster. I will see to it that it is resolved,” said Kankal.

“My child is also studying in MPS. He has not received his uniform yet. When parents approached the school on the issue of dress-size, the school administration refused to help. Parents were told that their kids had to manage with whatever had been given. BMC has such a huge budget. Why this lapse then,” added Dalvi.

On the other hand, parents have formed a WhatsApp group to discuss this issue and are trying to arrive at a solution to the problem. “I am not going to send my child in such a uniform – it is too tight at the waist and sleeves are hanging,” said a parent in the chat. “My child’s dress size is 32, however the dress received is too tight,” said another parent.

Most parents have shared that the snug clothes are making it difficult for the children to sit comfortably.

A headmaster from a BMC-run school has acknowledged the problem, underscoring that many schools are yet to receive the new stock. “There has been an issue with size. We will try to fix it by exchanging the ill-fitting uniforms. If the issue is not resolved even then, we will have to take it up with the contractor and ask them to fix it. Many schools have not received the uniforms yet,” he said.