School uniforms help kids to fit in
WHILE there is consensus that school uniforms are a necessary part of schooling, the cost of the clothing items has become a bone of contention.
Professor Nuraan Davids, chairperson of the Department of Education Policy Studies at Stellenbosch, said the uniform manufacturing and retail industries are the main culprits and not school uniforms. She said uniforms are needed, because they have an innate desire to fit in.
She said wearing uniforms invokes a sense of identity and taking away uniforms would lead to them being replaced with a need for expensive clothing which would be a drawback for parents.
“There is no way a child is going to be happy wearing the cheapest clothing when peer group pressure is there.”
“The way children look does impact on learning in the classroom.
“Uniforms gives a child a sense of identity and allow schools to implement a level of discipline by monitoring whether shirts and ties are straightened. It keeps down expenses and speaks to the ethos of a school,” said Davids.
She was speaking after the findings of the commission that there is collusion between suppliers and schools leading to escalated uniform prices.
Davids said that the negative aspect of uniforms are schools who align with suppliers, which causes parents to become “trapped consumers”. Davids said that the number of uniforms for each sporting code is unnecessary and should be kept to one simple uniform.
Parents spoke of the exorbitant cost of uniforms. Dominic Schouw, 34, from Hanover Park said he spent almost R2 500 a child on school uniforms for the year.
“The amount of money I spend on my children for school necessities estimates to R3 500 a child with the uniform taking the bulk of that amount,” he said.
Danielle Tanta, 27, from Mitchells Plain, said that she didn’t expect to pay so much money for her child’s uniform and necessities.
“I went just before specials started and I didn’t know that there were specials just before school starts. I thought I should be prepared so I expect to pay almost R2 000 for everything,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Western Cape Education Department is still feeling the pressure as thousands of children still need to be placed before school starts tomorrow. Spokesperson Paddy Attwell said that the figure given in their previous report (11 249) has not changed significantly because school managers only returned to school on Monday.
THE WAY CHILDREN LOOK DOES IMPACT ON LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM