Call for offers for the provision of uniforms recommended

The Office of Fair Competition is recommending that there should be a call for offers for the provision of school uniforms, so that they could be available from more than one shop.

The office said in a statement that schools should avoid uniforms with complicated designs so as to limit costs.

It said that its investigation on the cost of school uniforms - requested five months ago by the Minister of Finance - was held with the aim of drawing up guidelines for schools to follow.

It said talks were currently being held with the Education Division on the best way how its recommendations could be drawn up into guidelines which would have to be observed by all schools.

The office said that more than 1,000 parents and 133 schools took part in the investigation through a questionnaire distributed to all schools.

The office also held a number of meetings with operators and schools

Although the aim of the office was to conclude the investigation by the beginning of the scholastic year, the need for the greatest number of stakeholders to be heard to determine fairer recommendations for all involved led to an extension of the process.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech today asked the office to investigate complaints of a steep increase in the cost of school transport.