Column: School uniforms here to stay, but should be affordable

School uniforms also remove socioeconomic barriers and allow students to form cliques based on personal interests.

There is much debate about the impact of uniforms in schools. Having worn them from kindergarten all through high school, experience tells me that school uniforms are the most visible elements of any school. Wearing a school uniform is a badge of pride, creates an identity for the school and is an important part of being a school student.
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Here, in the UAE, there is no widespread opposition to standard classroom attire. But we need to ask ourselves an important question: Is the practice still relevant in the age of hashtags and iPads? Or are we following an age-old practice, blindly, because we are used to it? Here according to me, are some of the best pros and cons of wearing uniforms.
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The greatest advantages are sense of belonging and promotion of school spirit, security in uniformity, and it definitely diverts the students' attention to education and away from distractors. School uniforms also remove socioeconomic barriers and allow students to form cliques based on personal interests. It gives underprivileged students more confidence, as they're less prone to discrimination.
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Having said that, a shirt, tie and blazer and clean black shoes are not what I would call a school student's favourite outfit. Also, schools have a dual responsibility to educate students and to develop productive, creative individuals who will grow up to bring innovation to our marketplace. And it's hard to have individual opinions when the system encourages conformity.
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I have no qualms in declaring that the uniform works. It works for schools, for parents and, most importantly, for children. School uniform isn't fashionable, but that's exactly why I think it should be here to stay. However, I think that educational institutions need to take the initiatives to make it attractive to students and affordable to parents.
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At The Arcadia Preparatory School, we believe that school uniforms must be smart, comfortable, and mindful of the cultural norms of the UAE. The uniforms are designed keeping in mind the comfort of students, the weather conditions of the UAE, and financial feasibility.