Surabaya's schools urged to involve MSMEs in supplying uniforms

Surabaya (ANTARA) - Elementary and middle schools in Surabaya, East Java, are required to involve micro, small, and medium enterprises in providing school uniforms and supplies in a bid to assist the city's MSMEs to escape the grip of COVID-19 pandemic's impacts, a legislator said.

Head of the Surabaya City Legislative Body (DPRD) Commission IV Khusnul Khotimah said here Thursday that she has urged the schools' cooperative units to sell the products of Surabaya's MSMEs to empower them amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

To this end, Khotimah highlighted the importance of maintaining the sustenance of school cooperative units as their presence was indicative of the economic empowerment. 

"Hence, the items supplied in cooperative units for the students and teachers are provided by MSMEs in Surabaya. Thus, the MSMEs are empowered," she stated.

Khotimah also called on schools to refund the money for uniforms to students that belong to the low-income group.

She noted that some seventh grade students recently partaking in limited face-to-face learning had already bought uniforms from school cooperatives.

"We request to refund the money since these seventh graders from the low-income group will receive uniforms from the Surabaya government," Khotimah stated.

According to data, a total of 112,000 students, from elementary and middle schools, accepted via affirmation or were from low-income families. Of those, some had already bought uniforms.

"Wearing a new uniform while attending school is not a must. However, I liken this to during Eid al-Fitr, when something feels amiss when there are no new clothes. The same also applies in school. Upon reaching the higher (educational) level, something feels missing when there are no new clothes. (However, in reality,) it is fine if (you) do not buy it," Khotimah remarked.

She noted that currently, the Surabaya city government was crosschecking to identify students from the low-income group in all schools, so as not to miss out on any of these students. She had called on the concerned office to do the needful with utmost care and attention.

Speaking in connection with the uniforms, Khotimah also compelled the Surabaya city government to allocate ready-to-wear uniforms instead of fabrics that still had to be stitched. Should only the fabrics be allocated, the families of students from low-income families would have another task in hand of getting them sewed.

“All along, the distribution of uniform aid is still in the form of fabrics. It would be better if during the school year 2022-2023, the Surabaya city government distributes ready-to-wear uniforms," she concluded.