Basic Education welcomes probe into school uniforms pricing
The Basic Education Department has welcomed a probe by the Competition Commission into the cost of school uniforms in the country following price fixing claims.
"A uniform should not determine whether a learner goes to school or not or whether the learner passes or not. The Constitution does not negotiate access to quality education," Basic Education's Elija Mhlanga says.
Mhlanga says there are claims that some schools have been colluding with school uniform suppliers.
"The prices of these school uniforms are being controlled by a select few. It's wrong. We've seen it elsewhere in South Africa. The business space needs to be opened up to give everyone an opportunity to be able to supply uniforms to all our schools and parents need to be able to afford that," he says.
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Almost 2000 schools and governing bodies took part in the probe. A report will be released soon.