Uniforms business not for principals

TANGERANG (JP): The mayoralty's education and culture office has banned all high school principals from involvement in the provision of school uniforms and textbooks.

Office chief Muhyi Syarifuddin said yesterday that the move was aimed at cutting bureaucratic procedures in order to provide cheaper prices.

Students will be allowed to wear their old uniforms and are not required to buy new ones for the coming school year so as not to further burden parents, he said.

Syarifuddin also called on principals to use their discretion when it came to charging tuition fees.

"Students from very poor families may be exempted from the fees," he said. (41/jun)