Usually the main reason to mandate uniforms in poor countries is so that the poorest kids won't be ostracized for not being able to afford trendy clothes.

> Same reason poor schools mandate uniforms

The top 6 countries in the annual PISA test are all asian countries where uniforms are mandatory in public and private education (China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, HK)

> Same reason poor schools mandate uniforms

Nah.

In Argentina, public primary school kids have a white uniform to imprint a sense of being among equals, no matter their families social standing.

Characterise false rigour? Do you mean something that purports to be rigour but is not?