Sir, - Like Mary Burnham (October 22nd), I feel there should be some kind of practical inexpensive school clothes for secondary schools.
Why is it that when children leave primary school and start in secondary they must buy school jumpers with the crest already sewn in, which makes it very expensive - £25 - £35? Why is it not possible to sell the crests seperately, so they can be sewn on to a jumper that could be bought at one of the chain stores at a fraction of the cost? I fail to understand why a lot of schools state that the uniforms can be bought only from specific shops, giving these shops the chance to charge the very high price that they do.
Why must the school skirts also be dry-cleaned, thus adding extra pressure and cost to a lot of already cash-starved parents?
I also feel that girls should have the option of wearing trousers during cold weather if they want to. - Yours, etc.,
Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin.