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Newry & Armagh MLA Justin McNulty has said a new School Uniforms Bill must deliver real change for families.
Mr. McNulty was speaking after Education Minister Paul Givan announced that he intends to bring forward legislation with Executive support.
Mr McNulty said: “It is welcome that the eye-watering costs of school uniforms and the strain this causes for many families across the North is finally getting the attention it deserves. However, we must make sure that any legislation brought forward actually deals with the issue at hand - the unaffordable nature of school uniforms for many families.
“The cost of a uniform should never be a barrier to any child’s education, and I have seen first-hand the hardship and stress brought upon parents and families every year as a result of these costs.
“Tinkering around the edges of this problem won’t please anybody, certainly not parents or schools. I am concerned by the Minister’s talk of ‘guidance’ and the indication that much of these policies will still be left in the hands of individual schools. That will provide little comfort to the parents I deal with on a regular basis who are left lying awake at night worried about how they are going to afford a uniform for their child."
Once in law, the new School Uniforms Bill will require schools to place affordability at the centre of their policies.
Welcoming the Executive’s agreement, Minister Givan said: “School uniforms play an important role in the ethos of our schools. They help to improve behaviour and a sense of belonging and identity. But we want to be sure they are affordable for parents.
“While there is much good practice in our schools, there are still some whose uniform policies do not place affordability at the centre or follow the current guidance. I am concerned that parents should not find the cost of a school uniform a significant outlay, and it definitely should not deter them from applying for a particular school."
The Minister concluded: “Once the new legislation is in place, it will remain a matter for schools to determine whether to have a uniform and, if so, what that uniform will be. What the legislation will do is work in tandem with strengthened, statutory guidance to ensure that affordability is transparent and at the centre of school uniform policies.”
Mr McNulty added “This legislation provides us with a real opportunity to address this issue, but it’s important we get it right. I will be working with my SDLP colleagues in the Assembly to ensure that this legislation reflects the experience of parents who have been in this position, and helps schools to deliver affordable uniforms for all."
