The Ugandan School where male students wear ‘skirts’
A Ugandan school has attracted attention on social media after the management allowed male students to wear skirts as part of the uniform.
Frank Manyindo, the Principal of Nyakasura Secondary school explained in an recent interview that the male students have grown accustomed to school wear and no longer see it as peculiar.
“Every student considers the kilt a normal attire. 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.
Manyindo says the decision for male students to don the attire is part of the institution’s culture.
The school was started in 1926 by a Scottish missionary Lieutenant-Commander Ernest William Eborhard Calwell, who initially persuaded the Buganda Kingdom to follow Scottish culture.
But the king refused, forcing him to leave.
The missionary, however, was welcomed in Nyakasura where he opened a school and influenced the people to practice Scottish culture.
“The attire builds confidence in boys and brings out strong leaders. It has a unique identity,” the principal added.
He defended the uniform, saying it is not a skirt as many people claim, rather it’s a kilt, a traditional attire worn by men in Scottish Highlands.
Kilt forms the only national costume in the British Isles that is worn for ordinary purposes, and not just on special occasions. The highland dress is also the uniform of Scottish regiments in the British army, and kilts have been worn in battle, not to mention during World War II.
Mr Manyindo emphasized the students’ love for their uniforms so much because it makes them unique despite the mockery from the community.
Being a mixed school, many people claim they find it hard to differentiate between boys and girls when visiting the school for the first time.
To their attire, the boys also have small bags at the front of their kilts, used for carrying essentials like pens and handkerchiefs.
When approached about their thoughts on the school uniform, the boys indicated that the kilt is part of the school culture, and they are comfortable with it.
The majority indicated that they are always insulted and criticized by students from other schools for wearing ‘girls’ uniform, but to them, there is nothing wrong with the attire.