BWIRE: Lawmakers are right: Time for fair, strict school uniform policy

When our lawmakers do something commendable, it's worth shouting about, just as much as we do when things go wrong. Just this week in Parliament, MPs raised the issue of the uncontrolled selling of school uniforms by schools and vendors, questioning the CS of Education and demanding a strict school uniform policy.

According to a recent report, National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung'wah has raised sharp criticism of school administrations who are turning uniforms and lunch levies into punitive tools, saying learners are being sent home for failing to meet these requirements. On Wednesday, MPs questioned why some schools continue to defy a presidential directive requiring them to admit learners even without official uniforms.

The uniform fiasco is a common narrative happening in mostly high schools, and also private primary schools all over the country. Failure to comply to strict uniform policies, unaffordable to some parents, can lead to student punishments or them even being sent home, but to what extent should schools enforce this, in light of most Kenyans coming from very unequal backgrounds?

The debate has always been on whether to have uniforms or not. But the debate should be more on how to make school uniforms as basic as possible. How do countries with basic uniforms or no uniforms operate? The question we should ask first is where did we get the uniform idea? What was the initial concept and how has it morphed into something that parents of some schools are spending more on than even the school fee they are supposed to pay for a year?

The idea of school uniforms in Kenya traces back to United Kingdom colonial rule, where uniforms were used in British schools to promote discipline, equality and identity.

When the British established formal education systems in Kenya, they introduced uniforms as part of this structure. It was relatively basic, standard clothing to reduce visible class differences and instil order.

Over time it became a deeply rooted tradition in Kenyan schools, with many schools having school uniforms as basic as possible, and this idea of having basic affordable uniforms has always promoted discipline, equality and a good sense of identity.

In the past 10 years or so, this concept has changed significantly, with unhealthy competition among some schools and a growing need for a stronger sense of identity.

What was once simple and functional has, in some cases, become commercialised and exclusionary, placing undue pressure on parents already navigating economic hardship.

It is therefore encouraging to see our lawmakers stepping in to address this growing concern. When the advocacy for good policy responds to the real lived challenges of many Kenyans, it deserves recognition.

The right to education, enshrined by our constitution, the SDGs among others, should not be hindered by preventable barriers like costly uniforms.

There is a clear need to harmonise school uniform requirements across the country, including the control of pricing decisions by tailors and vendors ensuring they remain basic, affordable and inclusive.

A stronger, enforceable policy will protect learners from discrimination and keep schools aligned with the original purpose of uniforms: equality and belonging. When our lawmakers do something commendable, it is worth saying so just as loudly as we critique them when they fall short.