School uniforms battle continues

Long queues are already forming at retailers and suppliers of school uniforms and once again parents have to fork out more money they don’t have in these tough economic times.

For decades, many parents have been forced to purchase uniforms at exclusive shops recommended by certain schools, which resulted in those businesses inflating prices, knowing full well parents had nowhere else to go.

That is no longer supposed to be the case, thanks to the Competition Commission, the statutory body empowered by the Competition Act to “investigate, control and evaluate restrictive business practices”.

After complaints from parents about the steep prices of uniforms, the commission investigated and reportedly dealt with schools found to have flouted the rules.

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The commission has since issued guidelines on “procurement of school uniforms and other learning material” in which it encourages schools to appoint more than one uniform supplier, so parents can have a choice where to buy.

The guidelines promote more “inclusive decision-making” on how and where to procure school uniforms. It is important to note that, according to the commission, should a school decide on a single supplier, the school needs to make sure whoever it selected has undergone a “competitive bidding process”. In that way everyone wins.

It is heartbreaking to read that parents, such as Christina Chauke of Mabopane, use social grants to buy their children’s uniforms – the money made available by the government to help alleviate poverty.

Parents and guardians should not take this lying down. They must work closely with their school governing bodies and principals to ensure that the prices of school uniforms are not inflated and that they are of good quality.

The Competition Commission is there to help you out.

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