School uniforms and the human dignity of learners in Swaziland

Abstract

The study focused on the role of members of the School Management Team (SMT) regarding the manner in which they implement the policy on mandatory school uniform in Swaziland schools. The main question guiding the study was: To what extent is the learners’ right to human dignity protected when teachers enforce the wearing of compulsory school uniforms in Swaziland schools? A qualitative case study approach was employed with empirical data collected using interviews with the SMT members of three schools in the Manzini and Lubombo regions of the Kingdom of Swaziland, as well as an analysis of each of the school official documents. The interviews and the analysis of the documents were aimed at determining the compliance of each school‘s strategy with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland, and all international conventions regarding the protection of children’s right to human dignity in schools. Data was analysed in accordance with acceptable procedures for processing the qualitative data. The researcher’s conclusion based on the data gathered and from the body of literature consulted, presented evidence that suggests that the rights of learners to human dignity is not well-protected in the three schools that participated in the study. Poor learners continue to suffer the humiliation of being undressed of clothing such as jerseys that they wear to school because it is not the prescribed school uniform and is unacceptable. Some suffer corporal punishment because their parents cannot afford to buy them the full prescribed school uniform. Poverty remains a serious challenge to implementing the mandatory school uniform policy.