A government school teachers’ association has written to chief minister Mamata Banerjee to reconsider the decision to introduce a common colour code for school uniforms as each uniform reflects “the legacy” of the institution.
The state’s school education department had announced on March 20 that the colour of the students’ uniform from pre-primary to Class VIII in all government, government-aided and government-sponsored schools would be navy blue and white. The shirt and the kameez will display the Biswa Bangla logo.
“Some of these schools are hundred years old, some are 150 years old.... Keeping in mind Bengal’s ancient heritage as well as the need to be progressive, these schools devised uniforms that aimed to preserve our legacy and foster unity in diversity,” says the letter signed by Saugata Basu, general secretary of the Government School Teachers’ Association.
“The deep respect that students develop for their schools by wearing their respective uniforms… fills their minds with joy in later life, too. It is in this context that we request you to reconsider the decision….”
The letter was written to Mamata Banerjee with a copy to education minister Bratya Basu.
The letter says that since the students from classes IX to XII have been allowed to retain their respective uniforms, the new colour code for the junior classes would create segregation.
An official of the department said since the matter was sub-judice, they would not comment on the letter.
