Has anyone been to École Belge de Kigali of late? One can’t help but think that it’s a recreation centre. What is with all the sagging trousers, tattered jeans, flat caps and tight pants? Well, if you do away with a uniform that is exactly what you get. 

Many people might argue that it’s within the student’s rights not to wear uniform but again it is an element that instills discipline. Uniforms are smart and create an equal playing field for all students without creating unnecessary pressure to wear fancy clothes to impress their peers. During my high school days, we would compare our uniform colours and quality to those from neighbouring school and as long as we had the higher edge that was all the reason we needed to feel proud of our school. 

Uniforms help protect children from people who might want to harm them. When a child is lost, people will be able to help if they are able to identify the school uniform. This is not to say that evil people won’t harm them but it is a tool that can be employed to curb the risks. Besides, eliminating uniforms creates a situation where students judge each other depending on their dress code rather than their personality or character. 

The inferiority complex this scenario creates is beyond understanding. If students are all in uniform, they are usually on the same level and have a relationship that is not based on their social status. As of now, only girls are allowed to have their hair done but I’m looking at liberalisation opening the door for boys to plait their hair and pierce their ears too. How will a student be proud of the school when there’s no identity to attach it to? 

I don’t think it would be much of a stereotype if I said that students pay more attention in class while in uniforms than casual clothes. I don’t think it’s easy to concentrate in class while seated next to a girl in a mini-skirt. There is no research to prove this but conventional wisdom points out that these distractions; which also happen at work, can hinder a student’s concentration. 

It’s bad enough that we have many women in skimpy clothes and weird outfits on our streets. At the risk of sounding pathetic, I think we need students discussing issues affecting the country, not which latest trend of shoes or handbag was launched by Louis Vuitton.