Uniforms are necessary

Uniforms are necessary

I refer to a letter from Carol Hodgkiss published in The
Jakarta Post on March 5, concerning the wearing of school
uniforms uniforms in Indonesia. I can understand she is surprised
to see all school students in Indonesia wearing uniforms to
school.

She compared the situation to that in Britain, where school
students are not obliged to wear uniforms.

Unlike Britain and other advanced countries, Indonesia is
troubled by a wide gap between the haves and the poor, so school
uniforms are necessary to avoid social envy in schools.

As it is mandatory for uniforms to be made of the same
material, usually one that is not very expensive, children of
rich parents have no opportunity to show off their expensive or
luxurious clothing in schools.

By obliging school students to wear uniforms, it is easy to
control students hanging out in shopping malls, public places and
other places outside schools.

It is true that most schools, not teachers, provide uniforms
for their students so as to help them obtain uniforms at lower
prices, given that Indonesia is still struggling to narrow the
yawning gap between the haves and the poor, which has widened
because of the current economic crisis.

SOEDARTO

Jakarta