What Mandatory School Uniforms Look Like in 9 Different Countries

Just like traditions and habits change depending on the country you’re living in, so does the education system and the mandatory uniforms kids have to wear to school. Every single country has different types of uniforms and, even if it’s true that uniforms change according to schools, most uniforms share common styles regardless of the country. And those are what we’re interested in in this article because we believe it shows the amazing diversity of cultures that exists on our planet.

So Bright Side made a compilation of how students have to be dressed to go to school all around the world and this is what we found.

1. India

Uniforms are compulsory in India in both public and private schools. Generally, the boys’ uniform consists of a shirt that is either plaid or in a light color with long pants that are usually white, blue, or black. On the other hand, the girls’ uniform consists of a shirt and a skirt. There are some schools that even require their students to wear a tie or the same model of shoes for all students, regardless of their gender.

2. Haiti

Based on the French education system, Haiti’s higher education system is public. However, most of the primary educational institutions in this country are privately owned and operated. Uniforms in Haiti are brightly colored, consisting of short-sleeved shirts for elementary school students. An elementary student in Terre Blanche, for example, might wear a light blue gingham-checked top with pants or a skirt.

3. Turkey

Although their use was abolished in 2012, some schools still require their students to wear uniforms. Generally, in Turkey, middle school boys wear gray uniforms with white shirts, and the girls wear white shirts and skirts. In elementary school, they wear one-piece black or navy blue uniforms, but actually, each school has its own dress code. It turns out that there’s a great diversity of uniforms in the country, depending on what region and school you go to.

4. Malaysia

During elementary school, little Malaysian girls can choose between wearing navy blue aprons with a white shirt or a white tunic over a skirt. On the other hand, boys normally wear long pants, but they can also choose to wear a short version of the same pants during warm days. Later, in middle school, boys wear green pants and a tie, while girls can choose between wearing a skirt, an apron, or a tunic that covers their arms completely.

5. Thailand

Wearing a uniform in the schools of this Asian country is mandatory for everyone. Boys’ pants during their first years in elementary school can be khaki, black, or navy blue and have to be combined with short-sleeved shirts, ankle socks, and black or brown shoes. When it comes to girls in elementary school, they wear baggy shirts similar to that of the boys, but with a bow in front instead of a tie and a skirt that reaches their calves. Their names are embroidered on the front of the shirts regardless of their gender.

6. Indonesia

Uniforms are required in all schools in Indonesia. Most uniforms there are actually very traditional and conservative. If you walk along the streets of Jakarta and you see different types of uniforms, it’s because each grade has different color codes. So, for example, in elementary school students wear mostly red skirts and pants, whereas in the first years of middle school uniforms are mostly navy blue.

7. Bhutan

Believe it or not, students in Bhutan are required to wear the country’s national costume, which dates back to the 17th century, as their school uniform. For boys, this is something called a gho, a tunic-like garment that is tied at the waist area and folded in such a way that you get a sort of pocket in the front. Girls on the other hand wear a kira, which is made of a long, solid piece of fabric that reaches the ankles. Over the kira, girls normally wear a short silk jacket called a toego.

8. Ukraine

According to Vogue magazine, Ukrainian uniforms are some of the most stylish school uniforms in the world. Thanks to the white socks, jumpers, blouses, and bows, Ukrainian girls can be proud of how fashionable their uniform is. The boys’ uniform is also pretty neat: formal trousers, a tie, a white shirt, and a nice jacket. Their back-to-school day is clearly not that bad since it looks more like a fashion show, instead of just the end of the summer holidays.

9. Nepal

In both public and private Nepalese schools, the use of uniforms is mandatory. The color of the uniform can be chosen by the school. Generally, boys and girls wear a shirt and both genders have to wear a small tie, a sweater, and/or a jacket. For boys, the shirt can be a regular shirt and girls normally wear a skirt.

What are the uniforms like in your country, is there anything that makes them stand out from the uniforms of other countries? Would you like to show us a picture of what you looked like when you attended school?