IS A MANDATORY SCHOOL UNIFORM A BANE OR A BOON?

Making it mandatory for children to come to school in a uniform to get an education is a very outdated concept.

Allowing them to attend school in any attire is the way forward.

Some argue that the prescription is to make all children look equal, and class disparities will not matter then, but the interesting question is for how long?

Only for 8 hours, after which the rich go their separate ways and the less fortunate go their separate ways. 

To maintain balance in society, it is necessary for there to be good and bad, wealthy, and poor, but I am not here to discuss or advocate how that balance should be allocated.

Many kids will drop out of school if they don't have a uniform to go to school, is one thing I am sure about but whether it be labelled because of prior karma, God's will, or whatever label one chooses based on their own views and convictions, is up to each individual.

In a city setting, this condition might not be as obvious, but because most of the children come from wealthy or middle-class families, the problem is not brought to light and thus most people assume that it does not exist.

However, this is fairly common in rural areas and presents a significant obstacle for many children who are less affluent.

By putting an early barrier in the form of a uniform, we are not aiding many deserving rural children in their pursuit of a better life.

A good education is the most effective method to escape poverty and lead a decent life.

If it was a matter of easy identification, then instead of requiring them to attend school wearing a proper and specific uniform, which many are unable to obtain mostly due to poverty, offer them an inexpensive, all-weatherproof identification card with a lanyard.

That would easily answer the “need to identify” argument, some pose, and currently, we do not have any serious security concerns unlike when the protracted war with the Tamil Terrorists was on a few years ago.

We should enable children to acquire an education by attending school in whatever clothes they can afford and secure, rather than trying to change the makeup of society for a few hours by requiring that all children wear a predetermined uniform.