By Diperius Wanyonyi
diperuswanyonyi @gmail.com
In the recent past especially during form one reporting, parents have complained of high costs of school uniform. There are concerns that the Ministry of Education has been very keen on school fees regulation, but other school levies have been left liberal.
Before we proceed with this discussion, I would like to digress and give a historical undertone. School uniform originated from Britain in the 16th Century. The first schools were founded in the wake of Christianity in Britain. They were closely associated with religious centres and some taught singing and elementary education to provide choristers. Schools were also meant to produce clergy for the growing church. Later on, more institutions like the grammar schools were established. Such schools were not keen on school uniforms.
However, from the sixteenth century, charity schools endeavored to educate and house the very poorest members of society. A good example of this category of schools was the Christ‘s Hospital founded in 1552. Voluntary schools continued offering free or cheap education to the working classes during the 19th century. These schools often had a religious affiliation and were promoted through societies including the National Society for Promoting Religious Education, the Catholic Poor School Committee and the British and Foreign Schools Society.
The compulsory clothing provided for pupils by charity schools constituted the first widespread use of school uniform. The uniforms were first adopted because clothing needed to be provided for pupils who could not provide for themselves and because mass production of identical garments was cost effective. However, the design and colours chosen ensured the uniforms were a symbol of the pupil’s class and gender.
The use of school uniform was later on adopted in various parts of the world. In Colonial Kenya, the introduction of school uniform had a covert economic reason. School uniforms were introduced in Colonial Kenya to create and sustain the market for cotton cloth in Britain. Parents had to labour in the white highlands and other British owned enterprises to earn money to purchase school uniforms for his school going children.
In post-colonial state, it can be argued that neo colonialism replaced colonialism. Neo-colonialism has been perfected by appointed and self-appointed capitalist West proxies who have perfected the art of economic exploitation of the poor masses. Form one reporting period is a time when some shrewd charlatans mint money.
Some schools charge twice the amount charged in market places for uniforms. Parents are forced to buy items such as cups, plates, mattresses, blankets, sheets and bedcovers in schools or from a certain shop hypothetically owned by the school heads. The items are well priced to maximize the profit. Indeed, just like Mwalimu Julius Nyerere alluded, Kenya is “a man eat man society”.
School uniforms should be affordable. An image of a pupil in a blazer, shirt, short, skirt and tie is a widely identifiable and understood symbol of their alma mater. It is not surprising then, that school uniforms figure largely in people‘s recollections of their schooldays, evoking mixed memories.
In conclusion, education in third world societies should be an equalizer. Both the rich and the poor should be able to access it. School uniforms should be cheap and unifying. A situation where by the cost of school uniform is higher than the first term school fees is immoral and against the spirit of African Socialism, religious values, and our constitution.
The author is a researcher and a Ph.D. candidate at Moi University, Department of History, Political Science and Public administration.
