National guidelines on school uniforms
National guidelines on school uniform state that the adoption of a school uniform could promote school safety, improve discipline, and enhance the learning environment.
POLOKWANE In South Africa, it is mandatory for school learners to wear school uniform.
According to the national guidelines which were first published in the Government Gazette in 2006 in terms of the Schools Act, school uniforms have an important social and educational objective, but the availability of the uniforms may not restrict access to schools or interfere with anybody’s constitutional rights.
The guidelines further emphasise that stakeholders regard uniforms as a positive and creative way to identify learners and enhance discipline and safety at schools while also curbing peer pressure for expensive clothes, theft of expensive clothes and gang violence, as well as helping children to concentrate better.
At the time, however, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) pointed out that most of these reasons were not supported by empirical research and that it was not a given that children who did not wear school uniforms were ill-mannered, violent or members of gangs.
No child should be refused admission to school because they are unable to obtain or wear uniform, it stated.
National guidelines on school uniform state that the adoption of a school uniform could promote school safety, improve discipline, and enhance the learning environment.
Furthermore, that wearing a uniform:
• Decreases violence and theft – even life threatening situations among learners over designer clothing or expensive footwear.
• Helps prevent gang members from wearing gang colours and insignia at school.
• Instilling discipline in learners.
• Helps parents and learners resist peer pressure.
• Helps learners concentrate on their work.
• Helps school officials recognise intruders who come to the school.
