Mopan Technical High School Praised for Uniform Transition

Mopan Technical High School has been getting a lot of positive attention on social media for its new uniform design. The school will now be allowing its female students to wear uniform pants going into the new school year. They are not the first school to make this transition. One school in southern Belize did so in the eighties. But, it is a shift that Katie Jones, the principal at Mopan Technical High School, says originated from the female students themselves.

Katie Jones

Katie Jones, Principal, Mopan Technical High School

“The idea came from students here. I had a conversation with a few girls who shared how uncomfortable they felt. This is a technical school so they do agriculture, welding, so they shared how uncomfortable they felt having to go out to the field and being with their skirts and having to tend to vegetables and what they do. So I said ok, you have a valid concern there and well I shared that conern with the board and they were in agreement in introducing this other option for the girls so that is how this came to be. When I shared it with the girls we had a girl meeting, all girls and I share that with them and the response was positive and I had several girls come to me and say miss finally, thank goodness we are having this change. I shared with a few of them, this came about because you voiced your concern and this is how we bring necessary change. You have to speak out and the first step is for you to speak and I think us here at Mopan Tech do allow the girls that opportunity to share.”