A TOP Education ministry official has said wearing of school uniforms is not mandatory and that no pupil should be barred from attending lessons for failing to wear school attire.
BY NUNURAI JENA
Mashonaland West provincial education director, Sylvester Mashayamombe said there was no statutory instrument forcing pupils to wear school uniform.
Mashayamombe also took a swipe at school heads forcing parents to buy uniforms provided at schools as a pre-condition to secure places.
“It is not government policy for schools to sell school uniforms to parents … attaching places for learning to buying school uniforms at schools is diabolical,” he said.
“In fact, there is no statutory instrument that forces children to wear school uniforms. It is the idea of parents.”
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Some parents are furious that school heads are forcing them to buy expensive and low quality uniform at their schools.
Most schools are forcing parents to buy uniforms at schools once their children are offered places.
But parents say uniforms at such schools are too expensive and of low quality as it is a way of fundraising for the school.
A Chinhoyi parent, who refused to be identified, said she was forced to fork out $218 for school uniforms to secure a Form One place for her daughter.
“Parents should be given the choice to buy uniforms from other outlets …. the trick is that they don’t break down the figure so you might end up buying uniforms for a song,” said the parent.