Government says it will continue with consultations on the issue of uniform in the country’s public primary schools before issuing new guidelines on the matter as requested by some quarters.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Hon. Nancy Chaola Mdooko M.P, has said that the issue of school uniform requires wider consultations with various stakeholders to consider different factors including cultural and religious beliefs.

She said, “Issues of dressing should be treated with utmost care because it boarders on a number of aspects. For example, girls wearing trousers has cultural and religious implications in some areas of the country.”

She however, reminded all stakeholders that school uniform should not hinder learners from attending classes where a learner has struggles to obtain one.

Mdooko was speaking after Member of Parliament for Zomba Thondwe Hon. Roseby Gadama raised a motion asking the house to resolve that the Ministry of Education should review its school uniform policy to allow the learners to choose wearing of either long pants (trousers) by both male and female learners or dresses by girls and a pair of shorts by boys.