The Southern Region has stopped the experiment of a single uniform in high schools due to lack of funding. In the Alpes-Maritimes, it continues in five middle schools with departmental support.
The Southern Region launched an experiment in September 2024 involving the wearing of a single uniform. This concerned two pilot high schools: Jean d’Ormesson High School in Châteaurenard and Les Palmiers High School in Nice. The objective was to strengthen equality among students, improve cohesion, and establish a more peaceful school atmosphere. The region had invested 500,000 euros in this project.
However, last December, the experiment was suspended. The president of the Southern Region, Renaud Muselier, explained this decision due to the lack of state support and the high cost of generalization. “We were the first to say yes, we financed, we experimented in two of our high schools with Made in France uniforms. But without visibility on potential state support, it would have been irresponsible to commit 44 million euros, the price of a new high school, for a generalization in all our regional high schools.”
Continued experimentation in middle schools
While the experiment is stopping in the high schools of the Southern Region, it continues in the middle schools of Alpes-Maritimes. Five pilot schools are participating in the initiative: Merveilles Middle School in Saint-Dalmas-de-Tende, L’Eau Vive Middle School in Breil-sur-Roya, Jean Franco Middle School in Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée, Les Mimosas Middle School in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, and Alphonse Daudet Middle School in Nice. In total, 1,700 students are involved.
The project is based on a collection of nine clothing items. Polos, t-shirts, zippered jackets, and sweatshirts in blue and white colors are manufactured in France by the company “Fil Rouge.” The kit, valued at 240 euros, is entirely funded by the Department.
For Éric Ciotti, “the school represents the future of the nation, embodying the France of tomorrow.” He views this experiment as a step towards a possible generalization of wearing a single uniform.
Initial feedback from the students indicates a strengthened sense of belonging and a reduction in social inequalities. This measure could foreshadow a broader debate on the role of single uniforms in education in France.