“WILL A SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICY (IN UNIVERSITIES) HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON STUDENT ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR?”

“WILL A SCHOOL UNIFORM POLICY (IN UNIVERSITIES) HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON STUDENT ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR?”

School uniform is an issue which has caused a lot of debate in the last few years. Many students feel they lose their identity when everyone is required to wear the same clothes to schools. Others feel a school uniform makes students equal. Many teachers and school administrators are looking to a school uniform or a uniform dress code as a means for instilling a feeling of discipline in the classes as well as an atmosphere of learning. However, in my opinion wearing of uniform should only be restricted to schools and colleges. Implementation of a school uniform policy at the university level will neither have any positive effect on the student attitude and behavior nor will it help increase school spirit and minimize the discipline problems.

In a study called "The Effects of Student Uniforms on Attendance, Behavior Problems, Substance Use, and Academic Achievement," two University of Notre Dame sociologists concluded that uniforms did not affect discipline and such. David L. Brunsma and Kerry A. Rockquemore wrote in the late 1990s, and revised in 2004, that "student uniforms have no direct effect on substance use, behavioral problems or attendance."Recalling his own university life back in the 70’s, Mr. Abdul Waheed Akhund, now a retired Telecom Engineer, says, “There was no such uniform policy in our times and we had complete freedom to choose what we wear.” Even today almost 85% of the local and foreign universities do not force their students into wearing uniform since they know that this will lead to nothing but resentment.

One thing that a college student looks forward to when he is about to pass out from the college phase is the fact that on joining some university he will at least get rid of wearing the uniform which he so begrudgingly did in his school and college. Thus implementing a school uniform policy at the undergraduate or postgraduate level, instead of having a positive effect, will have a negative effect on the student’s attitude and behavior. It will take away a student’s individuality, his ability to make choices, his right to free expression of his own self and it also stops the student from feeling unique and special.

Most of the supporters of the uniform policy have a viewpoint that this policy helps maintain uniformity and equality among the students thus reducing the chances of any superiority or inferiority complexes and finishing the difference of rich and poor. The viewpoint can be deemed as acceptable at the school and college level since at these levels the minds of the students are a bit immature and thus prone to such complexes but at the university level everyone is grown enough to accept the differences that exist within the society and have learnt to live with them. Secondly it is believed that uniform policy increases attendance and academic achievement. Several studies, surveys and researches contradict this viewpoint stating that uniforms have no direct bearing on academic achievement. Last but not the least some people, especially the parents of our society, believe that students forget the moral and ethical codes when they dress casually and that a particular uniform will help maintain modesty while dressing. For this I would just like to say that instead of restricting the students to uniform policy the university authorities should introduce a proper dress code that abides by our cultural, moral and religious values.

Thus in my opinion a school uniform policy at the university level is not at all the solution to the disciplinary and attitude problems among the students. In fact it creates frustration, agitation and further problems among the students. It inhibits individuality and a student’s freedom of choice and, therefore, should be restricted only to the schools and colleges.