Gujarat confidential: Warning For Schools

The District Education Officer (DEO) of Rajkot has issued a circular, directing principals of all primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools to allow students to wear “necessary warm clothes” along with school uniform so that they can stay warm in winter. In the circular was issued on November 30, DEO Namrata Mehta warned of action if schools don’t allow students to wear woollens “which suit students”. The tradition of issuing such a directive started in Rajkot in the last academic session after a Class VIII student died in school during winter. It triggered a debate over whether private schools should be allowed to dictate the kind of woollens students can wear.