Fifty-three Dellwood Middle School students turned up wearing the wrong clothes yesterday, amid complaints about a new winter uniform being enforced when parents are short of cash.One father told The Royal Gazette he refused to buy a navy blue blazer for his daughter because she was only going to be at the school for another three months.However principal Lisa Marshall said Dellwood is offering to foot the bill for new clothes for any hard-up families.Mrs Marshall said the 53 students, who wore a combination of incorrect blazers, neck ties, pants, shorts, shirts and school socks, were given letters telling their parents to either buy the proper uniform or ask the school for help.At least one student stayed away in the morning, claiming she was told she wouldn’t be allowed to attend lessons without the right blazer.That girl’s father said the Ministry of Education called her home around noon and told her she could attend school after all.“Last year I spent $75 on a new blazer, and another $75 the year before that,” the father told this newspaper.“Then they said I had to get another blazer, even though she’s in M3 and will only be able to wear it for another three months before I take her out of the public school system.“They said if I didn’t get the blazer she wouldn’t be able to go to school, so I’d be denying her an education. But as far as I’m concerned if my daughter came to school in flip-flops she should be given an education.”Mrs Marshall told this newspaper parents had been informed about the uniform change on several occasions over the past few months.“We hadn’t had any opposition. We had a couple of questions at the parents and teachers meeting in November, but there was no opposition,” she said.“We explained to parents in particular that when they leave for CedarBridge or Berkeley they will also wear a navy blue blazer so it won’t be wasted.“Any parent who needs Financial Assistance was asked to contact us last week. We provided 41 blazers for students. Any person that needed assistance just needed to let us know.”She said the students in the wrong uniform, which represent more than a third of school’s 184 total students, should all be in the right gear by the end of this week.Mrs Marshall said the school is switching from maroon jackets to navy blue blazers to move in line with other schools.“Schools have rules, and parents can’t just decide which of the rules they want to follow. We have rules on bullying, coming to lessons on time. They have to follow them all.”She said in a letter to parents on November 14: “We feel it is important to learn to dress for success, and the wearing of a blazer is another step in that direction.“This change in uniform requirement will be a compulsory item of clothing for all students.”The Ministry of Education said in a statement yesterday: “The Ministry of Education supports its principals who have the difficult job of managing the diverse needs of teachers, parents and students to ensure that schools are positive environments for teaching and learning.“The Ministry recognises the economic times we are in and is confident that principals endeavour to work with parents in order to ensure that the balance between discipline and an individual’s economic reality is at the forefront of decisions.”