Nairobi Woman Representative, Esther Passaris has faced a backlash after announcing her intentions to introduce a bill aimed at banning school uniforms in Kenyan schools.
Passaris, while speaking to the media on Thursday, February 8, argued that the tradition of wearing uniforms reflects a colonial mindset that needs to be phased out.
As such, she affirmed her commitment to ensuring that uniforms are scrapped from Kenyan education institutions.
“I’m going to stop school uniforms in Kenya. These children cannot afford school uniforms; it is a colonial mentality for us to wear uniforms,” she declared passionately.
Highlighting the economic challenges faced by parents in providing uniforms for their children, the Nairobi leader proposed involving the National Youth Service (NYS) to produce affordable uniforms for students from diverse backgrounds.
“How can a child from a poor family afford KSh30,000 for school uniform? It’s crazy, unless we get NYS to make these uniforms and give them to the schools and we get it to a low price of KSh2,000 or KSh3,000,” Passaris emphasized.
Her determination to address the issue was fueled by her recent interaction with several form one students unable to attend school due to lack of uniforms.
After visiting a uniform shop with the students, the women representative expressed shock at the prices charged by uniform dealers.
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Passaris on The Cost of School Uniform
“How does any child in the slums afford KSh30,000 for uniform! It’s impossible! Greece banned uniforms, American schools don’t wear uniforms, some schools in London don’t wear uniforms, France don’t wear uniforms and students’ study… KSh30,000 is just ridiculous, I don’t know if it’s the cost of the fabric…We don’t want school uniforms, it’s a British mentality,” she opined.
“The military can wear uniforms, army can wear uniforms, school children can wear their home clothes and go to school.”
However, the law maker’s’ proposal faced strong opposition from Kenyans who highlighted the benefits of school uniforms in fostering equality among students.
Uniforms as a Favour for Poor Students
“Some developed countries are trying to reintroduce school uniforms. When a kid comes to school with the latest drip, other kids will feel left out. School uniforms create equality, not the other way round,” argued one of the X users.
Others pointed out that school uniforms serve as an equalizer, preventing discrimination based on economic status.
“Madam Passaris should know that uniforms work best in the interest of the poor. It is an equalizer of the sort. When kids are in uniform, you can’t tell a rich one from a poor one. Home clothes will bring depression to kids when they see how the rich dress,” another user stated.
Other social media users argued that uniforms cannot be removed as they secure children from a lot of issues.
“It’s entirely impossible, uniform saves the kids from a lot of issues,” commented a Facebook user.
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Nevertheless, the women representative found some backing from those who shared her concerns about the financial burden imposed by expensive uniforms.
“I bought one for my daughter for KSh30,700, and I came back with the mattress, bucket, basin, and bedsheets I had bought, plus some other things. They couldn’t consider us. It’s too much,” shared one supporter.
Amidst the debate, the proposal from Passaris has ignited a contentious discussion regarding the role of school uniforms in Kenyan education, reflecting broader societal attitudes towards tradition, equality, and economic accessibility.
