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By NICK WILSON FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 11:42 BST, 2 April 2025 | Updated: 11:42 BST, 2 April 2025
Logos will be banned ‘below the waist’ on uniforms at hundreds of schools across Victoria to help parents struggling with the cost of living crisis. From term one of 2026, school logos on shorts, pants, skirts and socks will be banned in state schools. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced the ban on Wednesday, following consultations with school groups and peak bodies.It’s hoped the overhaul to the student dress code policy will assist parents in meeting back-to-school costs. ‘Parents are doing it tough right now – we’re making sure they have one less thing to worry about,’ Ms Allan said. ‘Government school uniforms should be worn with pride, but we need to make sure they’re affordable for families.’Branded uniform items are the ‘biggest contributor’ to uniform costs, according to Deputy Premier and education minister Ben Carroll.Each item is up to $56 more expensive and are typically available for sale at fewer providers than their generic alternatives. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan (pictured) has announced a ban on branded public school uniform items ‘below the waist’ Public schools across Victoria need to amend their uniforms before term one next year (stock image)The aim is to help parents to make ‘meaningful’ savings, particularly for younger high school students. ‘If I just use my own example of one child going to secondary school, it would have potentially saved our family between $100 and $200 on that whole new uniform set for the start of a school year,’ Ms Allan said.Mr Carroll added: ‘School costs can add up, and that’s why we’re helping with uniform costs and saying goodbye to expensive branded shorts, skirts, trackies and socks.Students with existing branded uniform items will be allowed to continue wearing them under unspecified ‘transitional arrangements’. The education department will assist also schools in making make uniforms more affordable. Branded school uniforms have been a ‘hot topic for many years’, according to Parents Victoria chief executive Gail McHardy.’We have situations where students, for whatever reason, they may be sent home or get a detention for not having the right uniform item on from the waist down,’ she told ABC Radio Melbourne. Students will be allowed to continue wearing branded items for an unspecified period once the ban is rolled out (stock image) Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll (pictured) said it was important that all students have access to the same uniform items despite financial challengesThe relaxed uniform code would be of most benefit to high school students, according to Ms McHardy. ‘[There are] a lot of repeated items that are purchased, not once, but twice through the year, particularly for children with big growth spurts,’ she said.The policy update was delivered under the Affordable School Uniform Program, which Victorian Labor has invested more than $75million in since 2015. Applications under the program in the first quarter of 2024 were one-fifth higher than in the same period the year prior.About 23,000 students have received free clothing and other school items under the program in the last year.
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Sad reason why schools in Victoria will ban uniform items
