School uniforms: The more variety, the more wasteful.

At the beginning of each new school year, families with school-aged children have to prepare for the initial school fees, among which the cost of school uniforms is a significant expense, especially for students entering the first grade.

However, recently, there seems to be a "race" for different types of school uniforms in some schools, creating waste for families and society.

Sports uniforms allow students to move comfortably during physical education classes.

In recent years, school uniforms have become increasingly diverse. Each school has its own uniform design as a way to identify the school's brand.

Undeniably, school uniforms have been and continue to be very meaningful, helping to bridge the gap in conditions and circumstances among students, contributing to the formation of discipline and order in school attire, and creating motivation for many students who dream of wearing the uniform of prestigious schools.

However, there seems to have been a "race" for school uniforms, with schools offering a wide variety of styles: short uniforms for summer, long uniforms for autumn, vests and jackets for winter, sports uniforms, blazers, and long dresses for important school events... leaving parents scrambling to keep up.

Ms. Tran Bich Huong, residing in Thanh Xuan ward, shared: “This year my child just started junior high school. The school requires uniforms all week, so we need to buy at least one long-sleeved set, one short-sleeved set, a jacket, and a PE uniform. The total cost is over 1.3 million VND.”

However, due to concerns about prolonged rainy days and slow drying times for clothes, Ms. Huong had to buy extra uniforms as a backup for her children. For families with two or three children of school age, the cost of school uniforms each year is considerable. Typically, students don't wear the same uniform for very long; some children need new uniforms almost every year because they are at a "growing age" and developing rapidly.

Many types of uniforms, such as vests, jackets, and long dresses, are rarely used, sometimes only once or twice a year, while the initial purchase cost is not low. This results in considerable waste. Furthermore, because each school has a different uniform design, giving them away is not easy. Students who have to transfer schools also have to invest in new uniforms, increasing the financial burden on their families.

The "uniform race" also takes place in many classrooms, especially in the final year when there are class uniforms. Having worn school uniforms all week, class uniforms are only seen on a few occasions such as field trips, experiential activities, or yearbook photos, resulting in significant waste.

"When my child entered 12th grade, the school changed the uniform design. Although it wasn't mandatory, the homeroom teacher and the parent committee encouraged the whole class to register to buy the new uniform so they could have nice graduation photos," said Ms. Hong Anh from Thanh Liet ward.

Recently, public opinion has strongly supported the Khánh Hòa province's decision to implement a single, traditional school uniform for all students in the province. This uniform consists of dark blue trousers or skirts, a white shirt, and no other colored accessories such as ties, cufflinks, collars, or shoulder epaulets. Furthermore, the province will prohibit any form of tailoring or selling of school uniforms.

Many believe that this model should be replicated in other provinces and cities, and that a unified school uniform could even be adopted nationwide so that families can easily buy, sew, and donate them to those in need, thus saving money and avoiding waste.

I believe that standardizing a uniform design in a province, or even nationwide, would help reduce the financial burden on families and limit unnecessary waste.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/dong-phuc-hoc-sinh-cang-da-dang-cang-lang-phi-716549.html