As the beginning of the school year approaches, the ACODECO has emphasized the fact that private schools may sell certain kind of more expensive footwear, socks, or other accessories, however, they cannot force parents to buy those.
Uniform shoes must be closed toe, black and conforming to school uniform laws in Panama, but the schools cannot impose a certain brand or kind they are promoting and cannot set a specific footwear or socks as the uniforms.
ACODECO will handle these type of complaints
http://www.telemetro.com/nacionales/Colegios-privados-zapatos-especificos-Acodeco_0_889111398.html
Replies
My son attended to different private schools who never told us we had to have a specific brand of anything, clothing wise....but I will say this. My kiddo was very into soccer and he would go through a pair of dress shoes in a month. I have begged for us to be able to wear an all black athletic shoe for that reason and the answer was always no.
Yes, they played soccer every day and sometimes several times a day.