Delay leads to distribution of sandals instead of shoes for govt school children

The School Education Department had earlier planned to distribute free shoes for students as they would be more durable than slippers. However, as the tender process was over, the authorities had to, against their previous decision, stick to purchasing sandals.

Tamil Nadu Textbooks and Educational Services Corporation has been entrusted to procure the sandals for the students. The Corporation recently floated a tender and selected three companies from other States. Two companies, one from Haryana and the other from New Delhi, are going to supply the slippers.

However, parents and teachers prefer that the government distributes shoes rather than sandals.

“Shoes have more advantage than slippers for many reasons. Since students are prone to communicable diseases through mosquitos, shoes can even protect from insect bites,” said K Arunachalam, Secretary, Parent-Teacher Association. He also added that students can play more comfortably in shoes rather than slippers.

A senior official from the Corporation said that more than 60 lakh students studying in government schools will be benefited from the plan.

The official also said that footwear will be coming in three categories. The first category, which will be purchased for Rs 144 per pair from the company, will be distributed to boys and girls studying from class one to three.

The second category, which will be procured at the rate of Rs 174 per pair, will be given to the students from class four to seven. Students from class eight to ten will receive the third category, which will be purchased for about Rs 195.

The total project will cost the exchequer over Rs 80 crores. “The footwear will be distributed immediately once the schools reopen in June 2019,” the official added.

He also pointed out that the government is mulling to introduce shoes for the students in the future.