Two schoolgirls from County Fermanagh are leading a campaign to make school uniforms more inclusive by ensuring girls are given the choice to wear trousers or skirts.
Rhea and Astrid successfully advocated for a policy change at Enniskillen Integrated Primary School, allowing girls to wear trousers. They are now taking their campaign to the education committee at Stormont on Tuesday, aiming to influence wider legislative reform. The girls argue it’s “weird and unfair” that some schools still require girls to wear skirts.
Education Minister Paul Givan told BBC News NI that decisions on school uniforms rest with individual schools and their boards of governors. While several schools in Northern Ireland already give girls the option to choose between skirts and trousers, there’s no legal mandate requiring them to do so.
The successful policy change at Enniskillen Integrated Primary came after the girls reached out to Dr. Mairead Ryan, whose research links school uniforms to levels of physical activity in children.
In her letter to the school, Dr. Ryan emphasized that “gendered uniforms can limit girls’ movement and engagement in physical activities.” She explained that skirts and dresses may restrict movement and discourage young girls from participating in vital physical activities such as climbing and jumping.
Reflecting on her own experience, Rhea said: “I didn’t really like being made to wear a skirt—it just felt wrong. It’s 2025. It’s quite hard to run around without your skirt blowing up in the wind.” She added, “All schools have the power to change it, so if you have the power, then I think you probably should.”
Astrid echoed that sentiment: “I think it’s important to have the choice for our privacy and for our comfort. It’s weird that some schools don’t give you the choice to wear trousers. It’s a bit old school.”
At St John the Baptist’s College in Portadown, County Armagh, pupils already have the option to choose. Principal Noella Murray said the initiative came from the student council. “Our pupils are never backwards about coming forward with their opinions and suggestions,” she said. “One of the reasons they gave was comfort and practicality. In their everyday lives, they preferred trousers over skirts, and that was a good rationale.”
Rhiannon, a 16-year-old pupil at the school, supports having the choice: “It helps me focus on my academics. It’s really comfortable, so it makes it easier to focus, and I’m just a person who would wear trousers. I think all schools should give that choice—it entitles everyone to the same freedom.”
Thirteen-year-old Molly also appreciates the flexibility. “The choice to wear either a skirt or trousers allows girls to express themselves as individuals,” she said. “I chose a skirt because I like the way it fits me and it’s more comfortable. I’d like to see all schools introduce this option.”
Annie, 14, also prefers wearing a skirt, saying, “It really comes down to whether you feel comfortable in trousers or skirts. We’ve got a big variety of students wearing both, and it’s very good to see.”
She added, “I wear the school skirt because I think our school uniform is very smart, and the skirt suits me and is comfortable for me.”
Education Minister Paul Givan, speaking on BBC Radio Ulster’s The Nolan Show, emphasized the complexity of introducing a legal requirement: “Should I then give the legal right for a child to say I’m going to wear a school tie or not?” When pressed, he argued, “I’m widening it out, because it can’t be taken in isolation between a trouser and a skirt.”
The education committee hearing on Tuesday will not only consider uniform inclusivity but also broader changes to uniform policy. Among the proposed reforms are efforts to make school uniforms more affordable and to limit the number of branded clothing items required, which many parents and retailers say increase costs unnecessarily.
Rhea and Astrid’s campaign adds to growing calls for more modern, inclusive, and practical school uniform policies that reflect students’ needs and voices.
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