School Uniforms Bill 'a missed opportunity'

Opinion piece

Councillor Paul Boggs

IN this opinion piece, Strabane councillor, Paul Boggs, reacts to the School Uniforms Bill and says his party will continue press on school uniform affordability and flexibility measures.

EVERY year, parents are forced to fork out hundreds of pounds on overpriced school uniforms.

It is one of the biggest back-to-school burdens on families, and an issue that families have waited far too long to see action on.

The DUP Education Minister's School Uniforms Bill was a missed opportunity.

The legislation brought forward by Minister Givan is weak, light-touch and fails to deal with the key issue: affordability

That is why Sinn Féin, working with others on the Education Committee, tabled a strong package of proposals to make the Bill meaningful.

Our amendments would have limited the number of branded items schools can demand, allowed parents to use generic clothing with sew-on or iron-on crests, protected the right of girls to wear trousers, supported the establishment of uniform banks and swap schemes, and ensured children with additional needs are comfortable and included.

These were common-sense, practical measures designed to bring real relief to families while supporting fairness and choice for children and young people.

Not once, but twice, the DUP blocked these vital proposals from even being debated in the Assembly.

Twice, they chose to ignore the needs of hard-pressed families and the voices of children and young people.

Parents are crying out for action on uniforms.

They looked to the Assembly for change on this basic issue, but once again the DUP has stood in the way.

Sinn Féin will not let this go.

Our team is actively exploring every option available to us, and we will continue working with others to put right the DUP's failure.

We are determined to do everything we can on behalf of families to cut the cost of school uniforms and to ensure fairness and equality for all children and young people.