Consumers Authority wants more competition in sale of school uniforms
The Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority has called for wider competition in the sale of school uniforms, and simpler designs.
In a report and recommendations issued today, the authority acknowledged the complaints of any parents about high prices.
Parents were considered to be in a vulnerable position as they had little choice on price, quality and retailer, it said.
This lack of choice stemmed from the fact that many schools had specific uniforms, particularly in the case of church and independent schools, and exclusive arrangements with suppliers and retailers.
On the basis of its study, the office made a series of recommendations on how competition in the market for the supply of school uniforms may be improved.
The Office recommended that school uniform designs should be kept as simple as possible, avoiding any unnecessary elaborate designs or unusual colours, complicated patterns, embroidered school names and piping. A distinct school identity could for instance be retained through separately sold school badges.
School uniform items which did not have to be specific to the school, such as shirts, skirts, trousers and physical education apparel, should be purchased from any general retailer who wished to offer uniforms for sale.
Exclusive arrangements for particular school uniform items should be the exception rather than the norm and any such agreements should be reached after an open, transparent and non-discriminatory bidding process which would seek to enhance price competition and quality standards, the report said.
It said that such arrangements should preferably be at wholesale level to create competition at retail level.
Schools should be ready to make available to retailers the colour codes and the patterns/designs of uniform items on request.
Parents should also be offered the possibility to purchase material, in which case patterns and designs should be made available to parents.
Schools should ensure that the patterns and designs are owned by the school and not by the individual suppliers.
Schools should also constantly consult and engage parents in discussions on their uniform policy.
Parents should especially be consulted when the school intended to change its school uniform design.
Comments on the document may be submitted until October 26.
A copy of the report can be found at
https://secure2.gov.mt/consumer/consultations?l=1 .
Hard copies are available at the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority, Office for Fair Trading, Cannon Road, Sta Venera.
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26 Comments
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Jonathan Camilleri
May 18th, 20:27
Well, interesting, my parents, always had a bit of trouble trying to keep up with my school fees, uniforms and all that.
Ms Francesca Abela
Sep 17th 2011, 13:39
What about more competition in the Public Transport System ey??? We have a hobsons choice with Arriva - we either like it or lump it as we have no alternative choice in spite of Arriva giving a terrible service to the public..
Ritienne Giorgino
Sep 15th 2011, 09:31
Who is the designer of the purple/green and grey Kullegg San Injazju uniform???
R Saliba
Sep 15th 2011, 08:21
having school uniforms is a great idea but as everyone below said, they are way too expensive.
having kids go to school dressed in casual but smart wear would not; in my opinion, be a good idea. imagine a 7 year old whose parents are of a normal class and cannot afford designer wear whilst everyone else is in designer wear. uniforms keep everyone on the same page whereas casual wear will put invisible dividing lines between the children. It could be the cause of more bullying between them and not accepting a number of students for whom they are. have you ever been to a sixth form school lately?? it's a fashion show and not a school and they have 'sense' as they are older.
anyways, what I’m trying to say is that uniforms should be kept but at a cheaper price and made available at more than one retailer or else at least the uniform of one school can be found in the same shop.
and another thing...uniformed socks and mufflers and jackets??? it's ridicules...so what if I cannot afford to buy my child her uniform jacket...she/he goes to school like a popsicle in winter?? Bring on the cost of medicines!!
This article was brought out too late in the year (as always) but I do hope that next year something is done about this (at least a small step) or parents are asked for recommendations at the end of the current scholastic year.
Mr Kevin J Vella
Sep 15th 2011, 08:17
And .... at Tesco's school uniforms go at under 20 sterling. Daylight robbery if you ask me! As most parents are saying, we are being treated as a sandwich class to be milked by government and by schools.
Antonella Aquilina
Sep 15th 2011, 07:47
I have 2 young kids who grow out of their clothing very easily. For my son who started Year 1 last year I had to pay at least Euro 300 for the uniform. Tracksuits alone (which I did not buy the new ones cause they were out of stock) it is Euro 60 cause its branded. Wouldnt it be easier and more econimic that a uniform would be a jeans and a school shirt or sweater. The kids would love it and parents save money. Apart from 2 young kids I have an older daughter and at the beginning of the scholastic year we as parents have to pay hundreds of euro. BUT WE ARE VERY WELL OFF BECAUSE WE ARE NOT EVEN ENTITLED FOR THE ONE OFF ALLOWANCE THE GOVERNMENT IS GIVING.
Stefan Enge
Sep 14th 2011, 20:49
Well, other schools expect parents to buy the pieces from the uniform from 3 different shops across the island. To add insult to this every parent has to go at least twice to those 3 shops first to try and order and then to pick it up. All 3 shops are at least 15 KM away in industrial areas WITHOUT bus connection.
WHY the hell the school cannot organise it properly that parents do not have to travel at least 6 times across the island just to get one uniform complete?
What about parents whithout a car since the locations of the shops have NO bus connection?
What about working mothers? Do they have to take 6 times leave to get one uniform?
Kimberley Caruana
Sep 14th 2011, 20:16
I cant under stand the thing that most of the parents efford to buy expensive clothing to their children, and than they find it hard to pay school uniforms. At least you have the uniform that you can wear it all year, and there will no be any problems about what to wear. If i send kids to private school doesn't mean im rich, and that will be the problem if uniforms will not exist, because now a days kids are spoiled with all these expensive clothes and not all parents can buy it. I dont know why people query alot, about everything.
Vincent Cassar
Sep 15th 2011, 07:48
Dear Ms Caruana, I think you are generalising a bit too much here. Not all parents afford expensive clothing and proof of this is see the ammount of parents who buy their children's clothing from flea markets and shops importing children clothing from Asian Countries. Here teh arguement is not where you send your kids for their educational needs as the uniform problem is for families who sent their kids to Independent/ Church Schools as well as State Schools. The problem is usually that a substantial lump sum of money is to be issued all at one go. The problem gets worse if you have to buy sets of uniforms for more than child.
One last comment...if people complain do not lump it as Kulhadd qed igerger ghalxejn but rather perceive it that the common people are not happy and lack of happines leads to poor economis and decreased health.
ISABELLE AGIUS
Sep 14th 2011, 20:11
EUR 300 for the summer and winter uniform of a child in grade 1 is a ridiculous amount to pay. This report should have been tabled at the end of May and not now when the uniform retailers are counting their EUROS of profit. I am almost sure the the same Authority will table a report during mid-October on the high prices of school transport.
Richard Ian Borg
Sep 14th 2011, 23:04
Well said Isabelle! Very preposterous prices to pay on clothing that kids would have reduced to rags by end of term.
On the other hand I am glad that finally something is being done about it.
Another area worth investigating is that of not cheap books recommended for University courses some of which 'happen' to be only available at a specific book store.
Vincent Cassar
Sep 15th 2011, 07:49
Dear Ms Agius, I agree with you. But now let us read the report and as parents issue our feedback. This would entail that we would have done our part at least.
Ms Rose Cilia
Sep 14th 2011, 19:41
Dan mhu xejn hlief dahk fil-wicc!
Miguel Rosales
Sep 14th 2011, 19:01
I'd like to comment on something which might be a little off-topic, but it is regarding school uniforms. My brother sat for his O-levels three months ago, which meant that he was a Form 5 student in the scholastic year of 2010-2011. The school he was attending decided to change some items in the school uniform, and students in their last year had to adhere to the new uniform, which meant that new apparel had to be purchased for six months of usage at a relatively hefty price. Apart from that, the students were not permitted to wear socks not specified by the school's uniform regulations, even though they were pricey and not even visible under the uniform trousers.
I don't really have an opinion regarding school uniforms, but considering that senior school students would be going through physical changes and experience growth spurts, I think that overpriced uniforms are a big no-no. I estimate that 2-3 uniforms are bought per student in the five years s/he spends in senior school, not counting spare shirts, shoes, and the sort, as well as PE tracksuits. The sum of money spent in uniforms for these five years is quite huge.
Mr Joe Camilleri
Sep 14th 2011, 18:39
and when school starts, we will realise that school transport is a mess.
Moira Heath
Sep 14th 2011, 18:28
it's funny when you look at the list of articles under Similar Stories to the right of this article. Look at the dates on these articles and tell me, is the eve of the new scholastic year 2011-2012 really an apt time to be talking about school uniform monopoly, after all these YEARS? Everyone I know has already had to fork out hundreds of euros for their children's uniforms, as in all previous years, so it's too late this year. I like the idea of uniforms, but the prices are insane.
Alberto Mollicone
Sep 14th 2011, 18:26
Nothing new. These are the same recommendations the Authority issued last year. Read through this link:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100926/local/paying-the-price-for-going-back-to-school.328565
So what has the authority been doing this last year, reading its own recommendations? Why did it not take remedial action immediately before parents buy school uniforms? And why didn't it go into the quality aspect?
rien langerveld
Sep 14th 2011, 17:53
I am not against school uniforms,it has advantages,kids can easily be identified if they are out of school during schoolhours. What i do not understand is the monopoly and pricing that goes for this uniform.My son of 6 is wearing an uniform for the price of a designer suit it seems.Maybe smart casual is a sollution for these children,lot of countries do this.
Melvin Gauci
Sep 14th 2011, 17:41
Or we could just save everyone a lot of trouble and let kids go smart casual.
Tony Borg
Sep 14th 2011, 18:22
All parents, en masse, should ignore the school uniform ruling and send all the kids dressed smart, clean and casual.
BUT parents themselves need to force the change. The authorities will not, as one commentator said,, it's always too late and nothing happens from year to year. DO something yourselves. Get organised and stick to your guns and do not back down.
Vincent Cassar
Sep 15th 2011, 07:58
Whilst I understand your point in all this, your proposed action will only give the message to our children that we should ignore school rules when this is not the point. I suggest that as a parent we should pool together. Get in touch with the Ministry and find out what Assocjazzoni Kunsilli Skolastici formerly known as AKS (This is a parents platform and voice for education) is up to on this matter.
My opinion about all this is that uniforms are bought by Parents and not by the government so they should not be dictated by Public Procurement Regulations. Ideally there should be one standard design for at least all state schools, as it was in the past. However now that new designs are out, approved and currently being purchased we cannot add more to it. The way forward now is that the designs and patterns are made available to all and allow free competition amongst suppliers or tailors on the island.
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Sep 14th 2011, 17:33
This uniform business crops up on the start of each scholastic year and nothing is done about it.
Joseph Borg
Sep 14th 2011, 17:27
First of all, there should be no uniforms at all. It does not make sense to buy uniforms just they look smart. This is just a monopoly for certain companies to make HUGE profits out of it.
Secondly, the report is just a joke. This should have come out last March to make way for this scholastic year's sale.
Mr Julian Borg
Sep 14th 2011, 16:53
Great timing.......too late to do anything this year! What have they been doing all these years!
Mr Tony Camilleri
Sep 14th 2011, 16:00
M'hemmx għaġġla.
Trid tkun mort l-Universita' u tagħmel studju profond biex toħroġ b'idea bħal din.
"Parents should especially be consulted when the school intended to change its school uniform design."
WHY should uniforms be changed?
To fill the pockets of certain people with commission from those supplying the uniforms?
Mr Lawrence Fenech
Sep 14th 2011, 17:36
Tony.
Maybe with the Euro 1.16 cents per week now parents can afford a change of uniform every year.