After going through all the articles on the Saga costume issue, I would like to share my opinion as a parent:
From my experience, the parents who collect money on behalf of others may not be entirely “innocent.” They might genuinely be trying to help the school and support other parents, and they may not receive any commission. However, by taking on these tasks, they often become teacher’s favourites, and indirectly their children may receive favourable treatment. This concern has been raised by many parents.
Regarding the costume matter:
I heard that the initial plan was to charge Rs. 10,000+ per student. If this amount had been communicated upfront, several parents may have withdrawn their children from the concert because not everyone can afford this cost.
Instead, an advance payment of Rs. 2,000 was collected without mentioning the full amount. If the total price had been disclosed from the beginning, parents would have had the choice to explore more affordable options. The plan was to take an advance and the final cost to be announced later, to place parents in a situation where they could not withdraw, as organizers could claim that costumes were already in production.
My question is: Why was this not discussed transparently, especially when there are many well-known costume rental places—like JoJo—where we can even pre-order special costumes and rent them at a very reasonable price?
Because the costume issue was highlighted and questioned, the plan seems to have been changed. However, even the revised cost is still too high for many families.
There are plenty of reliable costume-rental places that take only a refundable deposit or a NIC copy, and the rental fee is usually around Rs. 2,000–3,000. This option would be much more affordable and fairer to all parents. It would also avoid storage issues at home and is more environmentally friendly, as costumes are reused instead of being discarded after one event.
Furthermore, it is well known to all that many of these practices continue with the knowledge and silent approval of certain higher authorities in the school. parents are used as a convenient “cover” that allows the actual decision-makers to avoid accountability. Most parents are aware of this dynamic but choose to remain silent, fearing that speaking up may lead to unfavourable treatment toward their children.
What is most concerning is that, despite these issues being well known, the relevant education ministry authorities—who have a responsibility to ensure transparency and prevent such practices, are keeping a blind eye
Comments
Post a Comment