A new campaign is being launched to try and encourage schools to allow cheaper, more generic uniforms for pupils.
The ‘Can the Crest’ campaign, spearheaded by an online parenting website, claims that families may be able to save around €300 per child each year, if schools “Can the Crest” and allow for generic uniforms.
The Minister for Education is under pressure to bring in new regulations in relation to uniform rules, which could potentially save parents thousands of euro over time.
A spokesman for MummyPages.ie, the site spearheading the campaign, explained how the savings could be achieved:
“If they were to adopt our crest-fee generic uniform policy, they could save over €300 – because they’d be able to buy a double set of…generic uniforms in their local department store for €86. And if you add an iron-on or a stitch-on crest to that, for those schools that like to retain their sense of identity, that’s only going to add another €10 to that total cost.”
She added: “The financial pressure placed on parents to buy the school-specific, crest-emblazoned clothing is too much and completely unnecessary especially when there is an easy, cost friendly solution available.
“It is completely unreasonable for any school to ask parents to buy expensive school uniforms, especially given their short life span with children going through growth spurts and heavy daily wear and tear.
“Successful implementation of this initiative would involve school management buying school crests in bulk on behalf of parents and selling them individually to parents.
“The cost per crest would amount to €1 to €1.50 each. Parents could then be allowed to buy a full generic uniform in a specified department store for as little as €6.
“The crests can be ironed on to jumpers, blazers, tracksuits, pinafores, t-shirts and even school bags, saving parents hundreds of euro.
“Parents should be given the chance to have their say and at MummyPages.ie we are providing a forum to do just that. The results will then be presented to Government and school boards nationwide.