Govt warns schools over uniforms

Crime Reporter

While schools can produce and sell uniforms, it remains illegal for them to insist parents must buy them or from specified suppliers, so long as alternatives meet the quality or standards set by the school.

Recently, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education gave schools the green light to produce and sell uniforms, but warned them not force parents to buy the uniforms from schools if there were cheaper options.

According to the ministry, parents are not compelled to buy uniforms from schools and can buy them from elsewhere as long as they meet the quality or standards set by the schools.

Many school authorities have over the years been forcing parents to buy uniforms from the schools or specific suppliers under arrangements seen as opaque.

There has been an ever-growing number of schools insisting that all school uniforms should be bought through the school, often at prices at least twice those charged by established retailers.

The school can set down a uniform; that is style and colour and design, but cannot fix a supplier and certainly cannot establish a monopoly, let alone a monopoly at a school shop, according to the ministry.

Communication and advocacy director in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro said: “Schools are allowed to produce their own uniforms and sell them to the parents; it is very correct. The uniforms have to be affordable and cheaper than the open market so that parents have access to them.

“We also said the uniforms must meet the right quality, colour schemes and branding in order for them to be sold by schools. What is wrong is then forcing the parents to buy strictly from the schools. The parents must not be forced to buy where the uniforms are expensive.”

In March, Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo said it was illegal for schools to force parents or guardians to buy uniforms from schools in a free market economy.

Responding to senators on March 29, the deputy minister said parents were supposed to buy from wherever there were cost advantages.

“Children being forced to buy uniforms from schools is illegal,” said Deputy Minister Moyo.

“So, if anything like that is happening, and yes indeed it has happened, and it has been brought to our attention, then we have taken action against such schools and heads.

“I would implore the house to inform the nation, like we are doing right away and like we have always done through our circulars, that it is illegal.

“No school should force children to buy uniforms from them nor should they create a situation where if you have not bought a uniform from them, then you have not got a place. That is not allowed, it is illegal.”

Schools that defy policy should be reported so that corrective action is taken, said Deputy Minister Moyo.