Punjab to provide masks to govt school students with uniforms

THE MASKS ARE TO BE MADE FROM LEFTOVER FABRIC OF UNIFORMS; OVER 12 LAKH STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE SCHEME

LUDHIANA: With masks becoming an essential commodity in the fight against Covid-19, Punjab government schools are all set to provide two reusable masks to students along with their uniforms this time.

According to officials, a grant of Rs 77 crore has already been received by the state under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme and this will soon be transferred to the districts and subsequently to the schools. Each school will get Rs 600 for purchasing shoes, socks, belt, tie, shirt, trousers, skirt, sweater and turban. The masks are to be made from the leftover fabric of the uniforms.

Over 12 lakh students across the state will benefit from the scheme.

While many school principals appreciated the move, saying that it will help students coming from poor families who may not be able to purchase masks, others questioned as to how it was relevant as schools are not likely to open anytime soon in view of the rising Covid-19 cases.

Punjab DGSE-cum-state project director, SSA authority, Mohammad Tayyab said,

“The members of school management committees also need time to purchase the material and then get it stitched. If schools re-open in the next few months, then what will students wear if new uniform is not provided to them on time.”

To ensure that students don’t have to venture out amid the pandemic, the authorities have decided that parents will be asked to provide the measurements of their wards to the school for stitching and collect it once it is ready. Till last year, students used to be handed over the uniform in the school itself.