Parents of students attending the school's Nerul campus held a silent protest asking to roll back the new uniform decision.
In a letter to Podar International school in Nerul, the education officer has asked the school to take a decision on a change in the school's uniform only after the consent of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA).
The letter was sent to the school on April 23 by Sandeep Sangve, education officer of the education department of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC). Parents of students attending the school's Nerul campus held a silent protest asking to roll back the new uniform decision. They have written a letter to the school's management stating, "We, the parents of Podar International, totally and unanimously oppose the new uniforms on the basis of the following: Uncomfortable full sleeves shirts for the boys, light coloured bottoms for boys which are impractical for a place like Mumbai which is dusty, the light coloured skirts are a problem for our girls as they will easily stained, the Physical Training (PT) uniforms are gender discrimination that is pink tops for girls and blue for boys."
It seems the education department issued the letter after the parents complained to the education officer. The letter also states that the school should not force parents to buy stationery from any particular shop. The school has also been asked to follow the government's school bus policy.
In an email, Hina Shah, CEO, Podar Education Group, said, "A letter received by the school from the NMMC Education Department is being studied for further action. The School has already informed parents that feedback with regards to the new uniforms will be sought from the parents and appropriate changes made for the coming years. Parents have also been informed that during this transitional year, students can continue to wear the old design of uniforms for the first term. The school authorities have had multiple meetings with the PTA members and school parents directly to clear any such doubts. Podar International School – Nerul has provided parents with multiple options to purchase books and uniforms for the 2018-19 academic session. Parents are free to purchase the required items from online vendors and physical shops. There is no compulsion from the school side to purchase from any one vendor. The same has been clearly communicated to the parents. "
ANTI-UNIFORM
Some of the reasons for the parents’ opposition are uncomfortable full sleeves shirts for boys, light-coloured bottoms for both girls and boys. They also claim the PT uniforms discriminate based on gender.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Podar International school")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}