Johanna Reidy believes there is a place for school uniforms but they need to be less complex to make them cheaper. Photo: 123rf
The cost of school uniforms is an age old problem with some kits topping $1000 but in the current economy it is more difficult than ever, an Otago University researcher says.
With the start of the school year fast approaching, there are calls for a rethink to the complexity of school uniforms.
Lecturer in Public health at the University of Otago, Johanna Reidy, told Morning Report that uniforms should encourage school attendance, not be a barrier.
"When we are thinking about school uniforms, it's worth taking a step back and thinking about why they were instituted in the first place, and that was to make access to education easier for students who generally didn't have much.
"But when you start to have the cost of uniforms stopping kids getting to school, we need to think about what we can do to step in."
Reidy said the research she had been involved with on the impact of uniforms on education and health had shown there was a place for school uniforms, but they needed to be less complex as a way of reducing cost.
"The more broad research I've been doing into the impact of uniform on education and health shows that when we are looking globally at most studies, there is a place for school uniforms, easy school uniforms though.
"It can be a very simple one that helps reduce distractions and helps students settle to task."
Reidy said that schools in New Zealand were run by the local communities who made the decisions about uniforms.
"One thing that communities could do is use the tools that they've got, make sure they get a good deal from their suppliers, have a conversation within the community about whether the uniform has to be as complicated as it is, just to bring that price down to something that is more manageable."
The government could step in to help low income families cover the costs of uniforms, Reidy said.
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