New guidelines will require all schools in Northern Ireland to offer girls the option to wear trousers as part of their uniform.
Education Minister Paul Givan said the revised guidance will allow girls to wear trousers as part of their uniform and also for PE and games.
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason has described the decision as a “welcome but embarrassing U-turn by the minister”.
Education Committee chairman Nick Mathison said the minister will have to explain why he “took so long to move on this issue”.
The guidelines are legally binding under the School Uniforms Act which came into operation earlier this year.
It doesn’t matter what you believe, I lived it. Jewellery and perfume were not allowed. The uniforms were not more expensive than normal clothes, especially not 2nd hand. Plus you needed less variety in your wardrobe so got a lot more wear out of these clothes.
So sure, you figured out which kids came from very poor or very wealthy families, but most kids were just in the middle.
I also lived this. We hated uniforms at the time but I hate to imagine the other option. We had second hand clothes we had to dye as it was cheaper.