“My son won’t wear pink”: new school uniform near Almaty raises questions among parents

A debate has erupted among parents near Almaty, Kazakhstan, concerning a potential change to the school uniform at the Belinskaya school, which recently obtained gymnasium status. The discussion ignited on social media when a post claimed the school was introducing a new uniform shortly after most parents had already bought the standard blue attire for the new academic year, and directed them to a specific store.

“

Kaskelen, whose children are going to Belinskaya school? What is this joke, introducing a new uniform when 90 percent of people have already bought the usual blue uniform before the school year, and also directing people to buy it from a specific store. I urge parents to collectively appeal to the principal to cancel this.

The post urged parents to collectively appeal to the principal to cancel the proposed changes, quickly garnering attention and dividing opinions. While some parents supported the author, expressing their disagreement with the potential changes, others stated they had not been informed in advance. Comments indicated confusion, with one parent noting that information about a dark bottom and white top was provided for 10th graders but not for their 5th grader. Another parent mentioned their son would refuse to wear pink or burgundy, and expressed surprise at the lack of official notification on the school's social media pages.

“

My son will not wear pink or burgundy.

Conversely, some social media users indicated they had prior knowledge of the potential uniform change, with one commenter stating that children were informed at the end of the previous school year. The primary concerns revolved around the colors of the proposed uniform and the difficulty of finding them in stores, along with the potential financial burden of purchasing additional items.

“

Since 10 percent of parents did not support the proposal, no decision was made to change the school uniform. In this regard, the school has retained the previously used school uniform.

The Education Department of the Almaty region clarified that no decision has been made to change the uniform. They confirmed that the issue was discussed at a parent meeting on May 22, 2026, following the school's gymnasium designation. However, the proposal did not gain the required support, with approximately 10% of parents opposing it. Consequently, the previously used school uniform remains in effect. The department also reiterated that parents cannot be compelled to purchase uniforms from specific vendors and instructed schools to conduct explanatory work with parents on uniform policies.

“

parents cannot be forced to buy school uniforms from a specific manufacturer, brand or retail outlet.