We must not be forced to wear uniforms at school

Why we must not be forced to wear uniforms at school

What if I told you that 90% of school students dislike uniforms. That's 9 out of 10 students that do not feel comfortable in what they are wearing 5 days a week!  Students must not be forced to wear uniforms at school.

"I have a school dream."

There was a boy named Bigz. Bigz lived a happy life with his dad in South-Western Uganda. When he was 11 years old, his dad passed away, therefore he was taken under the care of his grandmother. He was transferred to a poor school in the countryside, where he not only had to fight for the few desks the school owned, he was constantly suspended. Not for causing trouble, but for the failure to pay his school fees. The cost of the school fees were a constant worry. The reason he couldn't pay the fees is because they were spending all their savings on school uniform. School uniform so Bigz wouldn't feel like such an outcast from everybody else. The expenses that school uniforms bring, stop kids like Bigz from having the education they deserve. Sadly, this is the reality for approximately 250 million children across the world. 19 out of 20 parents strongly believe school uniforms cost too much. Imagine how the world would look if parents did not have to worry about the sacrifices they make just to buy a school uniform.

"I have a school dream."

Uniforms threaten our individualism as teenagers in school. Students desire to stand out in school by dressing differently, but how can we do that if we're surrounded by the same, bland tones of navy blue and white, everyday? In other words, uniforms convert the school hallways into a sea of mindless robots, who have lost their identities and forgotten who they really are. Students never get to meet the actual student for who they are, thus never embrace the uniqueness of others. The way people dress reveals a lot about them. When a school takes that away, a part of a student is lost. It feels like our freedom is getting dragged away from us, until we are fully controlled. So controlled that we walk further and further away from who we really are, dropping important pieces of us along the way.

"I have a school dream."

In many nations, there is a widespread perception that wearing a school uniform supports the development of a school's ethos, therefore promotes discipline and motivation for students. However, there is no clear evidence that requiring students to wear a school uniform will improve academic achievement, behaviour, or attendance. Furthermore, a study that analysed a large number of grade 10's revealed that uniform does not make any difference to the days of school students are absent, behavioural issues, academic performance and exam results. In addition to this, it was also discovered that uniforms can increase the time it takes for students to achieve their goals in school. If school is a place to learn, what is the point of having to be in matching clothes to every single other person in the school, when it doesn't assist you with performance at school, instead causing you extra stress and discomfort?

"I have a school dream."