The debate over whether school uniforms are beneficial or not has been one long-standing issue among educators, parents and students. It has not been up for discussion because it has been a policy in most Philippine schools to require uniforms from students but recently, after Vice-president and education secretary Sara Duterte declared that uniforms will no longer be a requirement starting this schoolyear, that debate has been revived.
As usual, there are parties happy with the decision and there are those who disagree. And to be fair to both, the arguments for and against are all valid.
According to proponents of school uniforms, its use can encourage discipline, help students resist peer pressure to wear trendy clothing, help identify intruders in the school, diminish economic and social barriers between students, and interestingly… even increase a sense of belonging and school pride and improve attendance.
Those who oppose school uniforms say it violates a student’s right to freedom of expression, make them a target for bullies from other schools, and are a financial burden for poor families.
In the Philippines, the biggest issue would be the cost of the uniform, which is usually borne by the parents. On that point, I would understand the motivation of the current education secretary, because no matter how you look at it, school uniforms entail an additional cost.
However, if there are neither uniforms nor dress codes, then it is hard to imagine how public school students could look like if they can wear anything they want or have available. Knowing the typical Pinoy high schooler, it would probably mean an invasion of basketball jerseys and shorts. For the girls, it is possible they could end up in school wearing clothes that resemble sleepwear.
If cost is the issue, the bottom line is that a dress code will still be necessary and going to school will still require parents to buy decent clothing for their kids. The only difference between school uniforms and decent clothes is that regular clothing is more flexible, meaning it is still useful even when there is no school.
As a lazy parent, the biggest reason I lean towards the pro-uniform group is that it requires less thinking when it comes to buying everyday clothes for the kids. If the issue with kids is trendiness and the economic and social barriers that comes with a uniformless existence, the issue for this parent is shopping for decent clothes that meet the dress code. For me, uniforms would be the best solution for that problem.
If you come to think of it, my biggest issue with uniforms is how needlessly complicated and impractical most of them are. Our schools, both public and private, seem to be engaged in a competition to have their students don the most distinctively ugly uniforms in the planet. If I were in charge of the national policy on school uniforms, my direction wouldn’t be to take out the uniform requirement but make it as simple and affordable as possible instead.
The first thing that needs to be done as far as uniforms are concerned is to admit we are a poor country and make them as affordable and practical as possible. Thus, it is imperative we put an end to our obsession with Sailor Moon and the dignified but otherwise impractical polo barong our schools love to make their students wear.
A school uniform consisting of a simple, plain, colored collared shirt, without logos or patches, and either pants or a skirt wouldn’t be such a pain to source or spend on. It fits the bare minimum standard (isn’t that a national obsession these days?) for the word uniform, and as an added bonus, students can still wear it when not going to school. To make it even more affordable, such a generic uniform requirement can allow government to easily purchase in bulk or provide parents of legitimate school children with an annual uniform allowance.
I believe that there are more advantages to having a school uniform than disadvantages, especially if the uniform in question is simple, affordable and practical. Kids wouldn’t have to stress over what to wear every day, or worry about engaging in fashion competitions. Parents wouldn’t have to wonder if the clothes they provide are good enough for their kids. All we need is for our leaders to use their powers and discernment to find the right solution for this particular conundrum.*
