Alliance Welcomes Action To Address School Uniform Costs

The Alliance Party has welcomed the "long overdue" cap on school uniform costs.

The party's Education spokesperson, and Chair of the Education Committee, Nick Mathison MLA, said he was pleased to see "overwhelming support in making guidance on school uniform policy statutory".

The Strangford MLA said: "Alliance has led the calls for measures to address the crippling cost of school uniforms for some time, especially at post-primary level and for expensive branded PE kits. Successive Education Ministers have let too much time slip by without taking action, resulting in years during which some schools have consistently disregarded the Department's guidance. "Ninety-two percent of respondents endorsed making it mandatory for schools to show how they have considered costs, and eighty-eight percent favoured the implementation of a price cap by the Department to ensure that costs are reduced.

"It is clear that these Alliance policies have widespread support from the public and now is the time for the Minister to take bold action to address the issue, and to listen to the views of the public when he brings this legislation forward.

"NI would be the first jurisdiction to move towards a cost cap and it is vital that this policy would be preceded by a full consultation on how it would operate to avoid any unintended consequences.

"We have waited long enough for action and must ensure the change makes a real difference in the pockets of families across Northern Ireland. Education is a child's right and cost should never be a barrier to those rights. Action is long overdue but we hope 2025 is the year when it will finally be delivered."