Burma’s government announced on Friday that more than five million youngsters across the country will each be provided with a free uniform for primary school.

The announcement said that primary students will also be given six exercise books each and a set of text books under a ‘free education programme’, and that these free giveaways are part of an initiative to help parents save money.

[related]

The government said it was spending over 1.845 billion kyat ($1.845 million) on the programme nationwide.

In previous years, the government handed a cash sum of 1,000 kyat to the parents of each primary schoolchild, but the plan was criticised as ineffective.

The school uniform programme will be rolled out during the admissions period for government schools, which is set for 25- 31 May. Schools are due to reopen on 1 June for the 2015-16 education year.