Principal of School Where Boys Wear Skirts Says Unique Trend Builds Confidence Among Male Students

• A school that was founded in 1926 by a Scottish missionary called Lieutenant-Commander Ernest William Eborhard Calwell allows boys to wear skirts, like kilts
• Following this, Nyakasura School adopted the uniform as the school Scottish missionary as Calwell was from Scottland and wanted to influence them
• The originality of the garment has gotten the school ridiculed by many as they term it as neo-colonialism

Most of us are used to seeing high school boys wearing trousers and shirts as uniforms. However, there is a school in Uganda called Nyakasura Secondary School where boys wear skirts as a uniform.

Origin of the uniform

Nyakasura is the only school in Uganda and perhaps Africa where students wear a kilt as their school uniform. While giving the school's history, the principal revealed that they are just carrying on with what the founder started.

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According to the principal, the school was started in 1926 by a Scottish missionary called Lieutenant-Commander Ernest William Eborhard Calwell. The missionary wanted the whole of the Buganda Kingdom to follow the Scottish culture, but the king refused, forcing him to flee the place.

He was welcomed in the region where Nyakasura is when he opened a school and influenced the people to practise Scottish culture.Origin

"The attire t builds confidence in boys hence brings out strong leaders; therefore, it has a unique identity," the principal told the Afrimax English.

Origin of kilts

The principal defended the uniform by saying that it is not a skirt like other people called it, claiming that it is called kilts and it is a traditional attire worn by men in Scottish Highlands. Kilt form the only national costume in the British Isles that is worn for ordinary purposes, rather than merely for a special occasion.

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Highland dress is also the uniform of Scottish regiments in the British army, and kilts have been worn in battle as recently as World War II. He said that the students love their uniforms so much because it makes them unique despite being mocked by the community.

Nyakasura is a mixed school, so someone who goes there for the first time would find it hard to differentiate between boys and girls.

"Every student considers the kilt a normal attire, and nothing is funny anymore. The uniform collection includes; a kilt, belt, knee-socks and a cuff known as a kilt hose. In addition, the boys wear a red cloth on their legs known as the leg warmers," he said.

Boys also have small bags at the front of their kilts, used for carrying essentials like pens and handkerchiefs.

Male students not ashamed

The students indicated that the kilt is part of the school culture, and they are comfortable with it.

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The boys indicated that they are always insulted and criticised by students from other schools for wearing girls' uniform, but to them, there is nothing wrong with the attire.

"Some people say that it is a shame to wear a skirt, but this is not a skirt and I also don't have a problem with it because I have been wearing it for four years now," one of the students said.

Apart from standing out among other schools with their dressing, Nyakasura is also known for performing well in national examinations, and it has several trophies in co- curricula activities.

School uniforms could become cheaper after new law gives parents more choice

Briefly News previously reported that the Competition Tribunal ruled that schools can no longer compel parents to buy school uniforms from a specific retailer.

This could mean that many parents could save a huge amount of money when buying school uniforms. The ruling would increase competition among suppliers; leading to lower prices.

Source: TUKO.co.ke