The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), today, condemned the distribution of vouchers to buy school uniforms and said this would heighten communal and racial tensions.

The government should work out a more equitable method instead of issuing vouchers to buy school uniforms, as the present method is grossly unfair by the school children, said BBS General Secretary, the Ven. Galagodaathe Gnanasara Thera.

He said the present system would worsen social stratification and that the government leaders were creating problems for the country.

“The government should provide a fixed rate instead of distributing vouchers to buy school uniforms. When we compare the voucher rates, we find they are really unjust,” he said.

He explained that the government should devise a national policy that includes a fixed rate for purchasing school uniforms.

He said that, as a national organisation, they would suggest that giving Rs. 1000 to each student to buy their school uniforms would be fair, instead of issuing vouchers of differing amounts to different students. (Chaturanga Pradeep and Yoshitha Perera)