School uniform is a type of clothing worn by students or educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools. They have a unique color depending on the school and they limit the kind of clothes to be worn by the students.
The uniform is put on during specific days of a week and they are made from a certain fabric that can favor the learners both during the winter and the summer season.
Pros of School Uniform
- They break down class barriers among the students
When students put on the uniform, they will all be equal and it will not be easy for someone to notice which student comes from a low-class family and which one comes from a high-class family hence there will be no class barriers among the students.
- They increase students focus
School uniforms make student focus on the main goal of attending school as they will not be disrupted with the other kind of clothing they have at home.
- Increases safety of the students
In case the students are lost somewhere it will be known that they are school going children and they may be safe as they will not be harmed. Malicious people will also fear to exploit students when they are in school uniforms as they will fear being identified with students.
- It increases the sense of community
Students from one school, when they put on the same uniform they will work in harmony knowing that they belong to one community hence they will assist each other in case they are faced with a problem.
- It will reduce clothing-related to peer pressure
The students will not have the pressure that they need to be bought certain clothe by their parents as they will not be aware of the type of each clothing an individual has at home hence it will reduce the peer pressure related to clothing.
- They cost less
If students are required to put on home clothing, it will be expensive on the side of the parent as they will have to invest in the clothing that will be used by their children to go to school which be an added cost to the parents.
- Easy to emphasize discipline
When students are putting on the same kind of clothing, the teacher may be in a position to tell the behavior of his or her students and this may make it easier to spot those that are misbehaving hence easy to correct the behavior and emphasize on the correct behavior.
- It will regulate the formation of gangs in schools
The students will fear being spotted as the ones leading in the formation of gangs in school hence there will be order in case they have a concern in the school on how to approach it.
- Increases students attendance
Some students may fake illnesses so that they may miss school because they fear being seen by their friends in the same clothes as their friends keep on changing the fashion of clothes they wear hence uniforms may increase attendance of students.
- School uniforms can be handed to others
In case a student has grown and the school uniform is no longer fitting him or her, then he or she can hand it to someone else who may use it or the siblings other than the other clothing.
- Easy to identify intruders in the school compound
When an intruder gets into a school compound may easily be identified as he or she will not be putting on the same attire as the rest.
- It gives students an easy time to dress up every morning
As schools forbid another kind of clothing, the student may take a short time to prepare himself or herself to go to school as he or she will not put on what is not required in the school.
Cons of School Uniform
- It creates barriers between students and teachers
School uniforms may make students think that teachers are not being fair to them as they are allowed to dress casually and this may make them feel inferior in the school hence the gap increases.
- Researchers claim that there is no connection between uniform and learning
According to research, there is a claim that students may learn and excel without necessarily putting on school uniforms.
- Intruders may easily blend in
When the intruders have their objective of getting into the school but they think the school uniform policy will not allow them, they may decide to look for the same outfit and they may achieve their objective through that.
- Difficult to create consistent rules about school uniforms
It can be a difficult task for the administration to create consistent rules about a school uniform as the students will come in with the same uniform color but different shades or the uniform may be sewn in a different style.
- They may be uncomfortable
Basing on climate change, the school uniforms may be uncomfortable for the students to put on during a certain climate.
- It still promotes the social-economic status
Some students may not afford to purchase school uniforms and this may make them not attend school as others.
- Expensive to purchase
It may be expensive to purchase for the school uniform than traditional clothing hence it will make other learners miss school.
- It limits the concept of diversity to students
It makes the students not dress as per their culture hence they will be restricted to certain dress codes that will limit their diversity.
- They do not prevent students from expressing themselves
Those students that are ill-mannered will still behave the same even in the school uniforms hence it will not prevent them from expressing themselves the way they want.
Summary
School uniforms have both pros and cons but the pros outweigh the cons hence most schools settle down for school uniforms rather than traditional clothing.