Parents, teachers and students will be asked whether school uniforms should be replaced with official track suits, after the suggestion for more comfortable gear was floated by the Children’s Commissioner.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo yesterday tested the waters on his Facebook profile page. He shared an article published before summer about the Children’s Commissioner’s proposal for uniforms to be comfortable, practical and flexible.

The suggestion was one of several in the commission’s 2017 manifesto for children.

The minister said several parents had suggested that their children wear an official track suit to school, rather than the current uniform.

“What do you think?” Mr Bartolo asked his Facebook followers.

In just nine hours, the minister’s post garnered 1,200 reactions. The majority gave their blessing, with some saying that the more comfortable they were, the more students would be able to focus on their studies.

Wearing a uniform in school instils in children a sense of discipline

With a tie and a blazer, students looked like they were heading to Parliament, not to school, a social media user commented. However, others noted that wearing a uniform in school instilled in children a sense of discipline, preparing them for adulthood.

Someone protested: “If we want our children to be in comfortable clothes, why a track suit? To breed a generation of hoodies? We can find a compromise… comfortable polo shirts and trousers, or divided skirts.”

Others meanwhile complained about the high price tag that uniforms carry, noting that several schools in Europe had done away with uniforms.

Some actually complained that this suggestion was being made after the beginning of the scholastic year, when parents had already bought brand new uniforms.

Asked whether the ministry was planning on holding a consultation about the issue and whether it had taken into consideration the proposals by the Children’s Commissioner, Mr Bartolo replied in the affirmative.

“Yes, the ministry will consult like it consulted three years ago. The recommendation of Commissioner for Children will also be considered.”

In 2013, Minister Bartolo launched a public consultation asking parents, students and teachers whether State school uniforms should remain as they were, be simplified or abolished.

Initial feedback showed that parents were in favour of simplifying the uniforms, which some deem to be too costly.