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Chen Jiang, commentator of Chao News Client

Shenzhen school uniforms. Image source: Southern Plus

Recently, the topic of "cancelling formal dresses in primary and secondary schools" has become a hot topic. Previously, a parent in Shenzhen reported on the "Leader Message Board" of People's Daily Online that formal dresses are rarely worn in primary and secondary schools in Shenzhen and are expensive, and suggested canceling formal dresses in primary and secondary schools across the city. The parent said that it costs hundreds of yuan to buy an ordinary formal dress, but the number of times it is worn in a semester is very few. In addition, children are in the growth and development period, and they need to replace new formal dresses every two or three years, which is a considerable expense for ordinary families.

Shenzhen school uniforms have always been well received by teachers, students and parents for their "high appearance and high cost performance". As the first city in China to unify the school uniforms across the city, Shenzhen's school uniform system is a model in which formal wear and sportswear coexist. The design of formal wear combines fashion and solemnity, aiming to allow students to show a good mental outlook and the overall image of the school on important occasions. Sportswear focuses on practicality and comfort, meeting the needs of students' daily physical activities and breaks between classes. The original intention of such a design is undoubtedly good.

The main complaint from parents is formal dresses. On the one hand, as reflected by parents, formal dresses are rarely used in daily study and life, mostly limited to a few formal occasions such as opening ceremonies and flag-raising ceremonies. This "occasionally used" characteristic exacerbates the impression that they are not "cost-effective". On the other hand, since primary and secondary schools in Shenzhen offer one physical education class every day, it is very inconvenient for children to exercise in formal dresses. Therefore, some parents suggest that formal dresses be abolished and replaced with uniform sportswear.

In response to the calls from parents, schools and other relevant education departments may wish to re-examine the original intention and purpose of school uniform design. As a symbol of student identity, school uniforms not only meet basic clothing needs, but also carry a certain campus culture and sense of ceremony, but this does not mean that it must make an either-or choice between practicality and sense of ceremony. While ensuring students' basic clothing needs, how to further reduce the burden on students' families and improve the efficiency of school uniform use is a question worth considering.

One possible solution is to make appropriate adjustments to the design and use of formal dresses while ensuring the overall uniformity of school uniforms and high quality. For example, we can consider designing simpler and more practical dress styles that not only meet the dress requirements for formal occasions, but are also convenient for students to put on and take care of in daily life. At the same time, schools can also optimize activity arrangements and reduce unnecessary occasions for wearing formal dresses, thereby reducing students' wearing costs and avoiding excessive waste.

More importantly, we should expand the perspective of reducing the burden of school uniforms from simply "reducing costs" to "improving quality and value". As an important item that accompanies students' growth, the design of school uniforms should pay more attention to comfort, durability and environmental protection, ensuring that students can have a good experience when wearing them. In addition, schools can also provide students with more diversified choices by introducing school uniform rental, sharing, and second-hand school uniform trading platforms, thereby reducing the financial burden on families.

To be fair, Shenzhen is at the forefront of the country in terms of school uniform system, and it is worth learning from many cities in China. Parents' suggestion to "cancel formal wear" does not mean to abandon the construction of campus culture and student image, but to remind schools and relevant departments that it is time to reduce the burden of school uniforms! In the future operation of school uniforms, more attention will be paid to the balance of practicality, comfort and aesthetics, so that school uniforms can truly become the "second skin" that students love and are willing to wear.

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