Bank accounts in limbo, MBMC school students yet to get uniforms

It has been nearly two months since the new academic year started off for municipal schools in the twin-city, however thanks to the sudden and unprecedented changes in government policies coupled by sloppiness of officials attached to the education department, 7,834 students studying in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) schools are still waiting for uniforms, shoes, bags, books and other education material.

This at a time when the BJP-led governance boasts of its so-called efforts towards upgrading the standard of education its schools in par with private institutions. To avoid malpractices, reduce workload and cut-down on unnecessary delays in the procurement and distribution process, the civic administration in accordance to government directives had launched the direct cash transfer scheme by opening zero balance accounts of students, last year.

However, the scheme which gave shopping power for municipal school students to purchase educational material and uniforms from the outlets of their own choice, was abruptly aborted this year. The students are most likely to go to schools without uniform for more than two months as the process of inviting tenders is yet to take off. Attributing the delay to the recently imposed model code of poll conduct, a MBMC officer said, “Even as budgetary allocation of Rs1 crore has been earmarked for the purpose, government subsidy of Rs 35 lakh will be availed to enhance other amenities in the current fiscal.” There are 22 MBMC-owned buildings, housing 36 schools which impart education in Marathi, Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati and semiEnglish mode up to VII standard.

The scheme which gave shopping power for municipal school students to purchase educational material and uniforms from the outlets of their own choice, was abruptly aborted this year