These options strike a balance between function, comfort and appearance. However, in extreme weather, even minor modifications can make a big difference. Ventilation is important and small changes can help students stay cool.
For instance, swapping starched cotton shirts with T-shirts or polo tees made of moisture-wicking fabrics like Coolmax can help students feel comfortable and look presentable.
Indeed, uniform rules have relaxed since the pandemic. I spoke to 10 teenagers, aged 13 to 18, representing 5 different schools across Singapore. They report that they wear half-uniform most days of the week and are only required to wear the shirt and tie combo on assembly days, which typically takes place once a week.
During the COVID-19 pandemic when the mask mandate was in place, they wore half-uniform all the way, probably because they did not have assembly. And while on home-based learning, it was pretty much whatever they rolled out of bed with.
IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING SCHOOL UNIFORM RULES
This raises the question – should students have to wear uniforms at all?
The teens I spoke to debated the outfits that they would wear to school, referring to Western movies where high-schoolers have the freedom to wear what they want. They noted the subjectivity of dress codes and how difficult it was to police.