Parents protest change in uniform

Mumbai: Parents of students belonging to Nerul’s Podar International School protested outside the campus on Saturday where they opposed the school’s decision of changing the uniforms of students from the academic year 2018-19. Parents claim that there was no notification regarding this change from the school’s side and the newly introduced uniform for girls and boys is not comfortable for the students. 

According to the parents, the new uniform for girls is a light-coloured skirt and for boys its full-sleeves and full pants which is very uncomfortable. Earlier both the uniforms were in Navy Blue colour for both girls and boys. “It was far better than what it is right now. At least before changing something this huge, the school should have consulted the Parents Teachers Association (PTA). Adding to this, from now on the uniforms won’t be available in any outside stores but we are asked to buy it from the school itself,” said a parent, who did not want to be quoted. 

Secondly, the Physical Training (PT) uniforms too have been changed for the next academic year. While earlier it was Grey coloured t-shirts for both boys and girls, now it is Pink for girls and Blue for boys. “The current uniforms for PT are not acceptable as it is gender specific’. Why should it be Pink for girls and Blue for boys? At present, when the world is shunning this kind of view, is the school trying to reinforce that very same view on these students?, asked another parent

 A similar kind of protest is happening in other branches of Podar schools across the country as the school’s management’s decision of changing the uniform is for every school. Parents of the Lilavatibai Podar School in Santacruz too are opposing this decision. 

A source close to the school confirmed this newspaper that the reason for the change in the uniform is because they haven’t changed it in last four to five years. The Asian Age tried contacting the Principal of Nerul’s Podar Dorothy D’Souza through email but there was no  resposnse. The principal of the Santacruz based school said, “This issue is for the ICSE board school of Podar and no such notification has been issued for the CBSE ones.”