By CHIDA SAKALA –
THE ministry of Education has warned Government schools against selling uniforms at exorbitant prices because the trend is against the spirit of offering affordable education.
Ministry of Education spokesperson Hilary Chipango said in an interview yesterday that it was illegal for schools to sell school uniforms at high prices.
Mr Chipango said this was because the ministry’s position was to make education cheap and affordable to everyone.
This follows complaints by parents that the prices at which some Government schools had been selling their uniforms were too high.
Some Government schools are reported to be selling grade eight uniforms at K300 while those for grade 10 are going for K400.
“It is illegal for schools to sell school uniforms for grades eight and 10 at such expensive prices and forcing parents to buy from the same schools,” Mr Chipango said.
He said it was not mandatory for parents to buy school uniforms for their children from schools as they had a choice to buy them from any shop of their choice.
Mr Chipango has since urged Government schools not to compel parents to buy uniforms from schools and that institutions selling uniforms at high prices should be reported to the ministry.
