Families face steep uniform costs as the school year begins, with some sets nearing $1000.
David Seymour, also the associate education minister, said the prices are outrageous and unnecessary.
“It’s an astonishing figure and totally outrageous and unnecessary given the pressure that a lot of people are facing at this point in the economy.”
Headmaster Paul Fordham said Westlake Boys’ High School’s uniform is central to its identity.
This uniform costs roughly $550.
“When they are arriving at school with a strong sense of identity, they’re confident, and therefore they engage across the school in a better way as well,” Fordham said.
“I know there’s some commentary around school uniforms and the cost attached to that, but it means that there’s no other clothing required to be purchased for school throughout the year.”
Otago University public health researcher Johanna Reidy found secondary school uniforms range from $250 to about $1000.
“Even the most competitively priced uniform can be unaffordable when there are other demands on the family budget.”
Seymour said boards of trustees and principals govern schools.
“There’s no government edict that says that you have to have this specific polo shirt that magically multiplies in value by a factor of about 90 because it has the school crest and you’re only allowed that one.
“It’s well within the power of Boards of Trustees and principals to make rules – they can make a rule that they don’t have any uniform if they want.”
Seymour said they could adopt far more inclusive rules.
He urged boards of trustees to act, noting the government could intervene but prefers letting them “run their own show.”