Pros, cons of school rules for pupils

With families struggling to survive the pandemic, the increasing fuel and food prices and the devastating effects of a two-year-long lockdown, are school uniforms still neccesary?

Last year, the Competition Tribunal confirmed an agreement with Gauteng-based company McCullagh and Bothwell to end an exclusivity supply agreement deal with uniforms.

The order followed years of investigations into complaints from parents, who said they were forced to buy school uniforms from exclusive suppliers.

Democratic Alliance (DA) Shadow MEC for education Khume Ramulifho said uniforms create a unique identity for individual schools.

“It instils discipline among pupils and eliminates competition among them on branded attire.”

Ramulifho said with school uniforms, it was difficult to single out pupils from poor or rich families.

But monopoly on school uniforms create price increases, as schools align to specific stores, he said. Concerning traditional jewellery, girls weaves, and maintainable hair, many schools haven’t reviewed the code of conduct to align it with the constitution, he said.

“Tolerance is important. We are a diverse country with diverse cultures and religions. Schools code of conduct must promote unity, embrace diversity and not to bring divisions or undermine one’s culture.”

Ramulifo said uniforms must be affordable and available in many stores.

SA Teachers’ Union (SAOU) spokesperson Stephan van der Berg said the main aim of uniforms should be to create a sense of unity, as well as prevent a sense of socio-economic inequality.

Van der Berg said as, for traditional jewellery or regalia, the SAOU believed there was little to debate.

“Where there is a legitimate traditional or religious reason for the wearing of a certain item, there should not be any unreasonable limitations,” he said.

“The caveat, however, is that the reasons should not be personal preferences but bona fide religious or cultural requirements.”

Van der Berg said the hairstyles should be left to the school’s governing body to decide.