It is illegal to force parents to purchase uniforms from the school

Taungana Ndoro - dont force parents to buy uniforms from school

The director for Communications and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Taungana Ndoro said schools are not supposed to force parents to buy uniforms that they produce when there are cheaper alternatives.

The uniforms have to be affordable and cheaper that the open market so parents have access to them. The uniforms must also meet the right quality, color schemes and branding in order for them to be sold by schools.

This past saturday, i was at Mutoko Government High school and there was chaos as parents were complaining about the unfair pricing of uniforms for form 1 students by the Head. The uniforms were of poor quality and parents were forced to pay for uniforms first then fees. Since schools opened, form 1 students at this school have been wearing their clothes as the so called supplier haven’t finished sewing the uniforms.

These are the examples of some of the unfair and illegal practices by schools mentioned by Mr Ndoro