New province-wide guidelines from Stormont state that no school will be allowed to mandate female pupils wear skirts, with the option of trousers extending to PE and Games kits as well as standard uniforms.
Announced by Education Minister Paul Givan, the guidelines come into force next September when the 2027-28 academic year starts.
The move has earned a frosty reception among independent Christian schools, however, with one figure stating the change particularly rankles as they don’t get any money from Stormont but have to obey its new rules.
Rev Darryl Abernethy is administrator of Portadown Independent Christian School. He told the News Letter that the Department of Education is “interfering in something that they don’t put a penny towards”.
He said: “We understand that they have the right to set down policy as standard in state schools, but we in the independent sector have a traditional Christian view of the differences between male and female that God has made. They are interfering with expressions of that view, even though they are not funding us.”
Mr Givan’s decision came “as a bolt out of the blue”, he added, as although an Alliance motion on similar grounds was making its way through the Assembly, the DUP minister’s announcement is a reversal of his position on the policy last year.
“We are bitterly disappointed that it includes Christian schools,” Rev Abernethy said. “We acknowledge we’re a very small part of education in Northern Ireland, but we feel it’s an attack on our independence. We are now being dictated to in terms of our uniform policy.”
It’s understood the TUV’s Timothy Gaston plans to probe the impact on independent schools through the Assembly.
Announcing the uniform move today, Mr Givan said the change had come after he spent the last few months listening to young people.
“The message is clear,” he said. “Girls want the choice to wear trousers as part of their school uniform.
“There is always a balance to be struck between the autonomy of schools to determine their uniform policy and the level of prescription in departmental guidelines.
“However, this issue really matters to many young people. After careful consideration, I have, therefore acted to remove any uncertainty for pupils, parents and schools.”
Both the UUP and Sinn Fein gave a guarded welcome to the new rule, arguing that although it will benefit female pupils it still amounts to a U-turn from Mr Givan that should have happened some time ago.
Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows described the change as “a common sense outcome” that offers girls the same clothing choices women enjoy in the workplace, adding the minister’s “change of heart is welcome, even if overdue”.
“The minister could and should have resolved this through school uniform guidance [last year],” he said. “Instead, he resisted.
“I listened to girls and supported change from the outset.”
Sinn Fein’s Cathy Mason said the change is “an important win for girls” but also an “embarrassing U-turn” by Mr Givan.
“Girls should have the right to wear trousers to school,” she said. “It should never have been controversial and should not have taken this long.”