Some educational institutions have a relaxed policy around the students’ mode of dressing and appearance, while other schools enact strict policies. Although there are many advantages of wearing school uniforms, notably discipline and equality of all social classes, there are also downsides, such as a lack of individualism and the waste of resources.
On the one hand, a unified dressing code ensures discipline among the students. This is due to students, who might flout an open dressing policy, which might lead to inappropriate styles that might distract students and teachers. Another upside of the strict policies around the aforementioned issue is the eradication of wealth classes in these learning centers. Not only would a lack of rules around the dress code expose the poor children because of their lack of resources, but it would also lead to their demoralization and likely make their academic performances drop. For example, an inter-school study conducted in Kenya showed that poor students preferred school attires because they felt that they could not compete with their richer counterparts in terms of fashion clothings.
However, there are some negatives to school uniforms, including a waste of the parents’ resources. These guardians spend a lot of their income on uniforms, which cannot be used outside the institution’s gates, meaning that they have to buy other clothes for their children to utilize at home. It would be cheaper if the casual clothes could also be used at school. Another downside is that the young scholar’s creative side is stunted by lumping all of them under the same clothing items. Despite the good intentions of the school uniform, they do not allow these adolescents, who may end up being fashion icons, to experiment with different designs. For instance, famous fashion designer Versace started his creative process at a very tender age, which underscores the importance of allowing the teenagers to express themselves.
In conclusion, whilst there are many advantages for using school uniforms, such as an improved discipline in learning centers and the eradication of open social classes, a person should also consider the numerous downsides, including the lack of individualism and the waste of resources.