ABSTRACT
The current study aimed to investigate Malaysian students’ perception of their school uniforms and the relationship it has towards perceived social cohesion. A total of N = 192 college and university students from Johor, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Penang who had undergone and completed primary and secondary education in Malaysia were randomly selected to participate in the study. Participants completed a questionnaire which included a five-point Likert-type response scale to measure students’ level of agreement with the statement of their perception of school uniform and perceived social cohesion. The results found that the aspect of tidiness in appearance attributed to students’ positive perception of their school uniform followed by affordability, preferred attire to be worn in school, comfort, and attractiveness. Independent sample t-test revealed that female students have more positive perception about their school uniform compared to male students. No significant differences were found between male and female students in their overall perceived social cohesion. Pearson’s product-moment correlation found a significant positive relationship between students’ perception towards their school uniform and perceived social cohesion. Results obtained from the induction content analysis suggested the symbolic discourse of the school uniform that represents and reflects the experiences and interaction students have with their peers, stakeholders and school environment. Recommendations were provided for future research to obtain a richer understanding of school uniform and perceived social cohesion for different Malaysian student demographic categories. The current study hoped to act as a stepping stone for Malaysian educators and school policymakers to understand the perceived social cohesion amongst Malaysian students and how these experiences may contribute to the benefit of better school climate.
KEYWORDS
School Uniform, School Uniform Perception, Perceived Social Cohesion