EWS students yet to get winter uniforms, schools claim entitled amount too less

Kavita Devi, a domestic help in south-east Delhi’s Badarpur, has taken up additional work in two more houses in her locality so that she can afford to buy winter school uniform for her 10-year-old son studying in class IV in a private school.

Devi’s husband, who used to work as a guard, is out of work these days as he was diagnosed with a severe liver problem. “We are entitled to free uniform and books. But we haven’t received the winter uniform for him. My son even skipped his classes before the winter break as he was mocked by fellow students for wearing an old sweater,” Devi said.

Fearing that her son could be singled out for being an Economically Weaker Section (EWS) student in his class, Devi is working day and night to save Rs 1,700 to buy her son a uniform before the winter break ends.

While the temperature is five degrees Celsius in the Capital, several thousands of students studying in private schools under the EWS and Disadvantaged Group (DG) category are yet to receive their uniform, for which they are entitled as per the Right to Education Act, 2009.

Claiming that the entitled amount paid by the state government per …read more