PANAJI
Citing environmental concerns, the Directorate of Education has made canvas shoes mandatory as part of the school student uniform from the coming academic year 2025-26 onwards.
In a circular issued to the Heads of the Schools within its jurisdiction, Director Education Shailesh Zingade said that no other shoes will be allowed as part of the school uniform, except during the monsoon seasons, when rainwear are permitted.
“The Heads of the Schools are hereby directed to instruct students to use canvas shoes only in school and notify them that no other shoes will be allowed as part of school uniform,” Zingade said.
Zingade said that canvas shoes are made up of eco-friendly materials, more resistant to wear and tear, more comfortable and relatively inexpensive. “Most importantly they do not pose any harm to the environment and students. Canvas shoes are anyways prescribed for sports purposes and can easily be used for everyday wear,” he said.
The department said that the protection of the environment needs to be practiced as much as it is preached and that the leather comes at a huge environmental cost.
“The production of leather from animals involves use of highly toxic chemicals which may possess harm on human skin and other shoes which are made of artificial leather and other synthetic material are also manufactured using the same chemicals, use of which can be sizably reduced by wearing canvas shoes in the schools,” it said.
The new academic term for Class VI to X and Class XII is set to commence from April 1 instead of the prevailing practice of resuming classes in June post summer break.
