The Head of the Merangin Regency Education Agency, Misrinaldi, finally spoke out in response to issues circulating in the community regarding suspected business practices involving school uniforms managed by schools. He emphasized that the circulating narrative is incorrect and is a misunderstanding.
Misrinaldi explained that involving a third party in the uniform procurement process is a strategic step to ensure consistent uniformity within the school environment. According to him, this is done to prevent discrepancies in quality and visual differences between students' clothing, which could trigger social jealousy.
"The school uniforms are made by a third party to ensure they are uniform. If they are made separately or in different locations, it is feared the results will not be uniform. Even if the base color is the same, the color gradation and material quality are very likely to differ if not coordinated in one place," Misrinaldi stated.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the essence of this policy is to create a sense of equality among students. With the same standard, social status differences at school can be minimized through identical uniforms.
"It's called a uniform, so it must be uniform," concluded Misrinaldi, asserting that the main focus of this policy is the interest of education and student comfort, not seeking unilateral profit as feared by some members of the community.
