Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 20: The Assam government on Saturday introduced a dress code for the teachers of the state-run schools stating that some of them were in the “habit” of wearing clothes that sometimes do not appear to be acceptable by the public at large.
A notification issued by the Department of School Education of the state government has asked both male and female teachers not to wear T-shirts, jeans, leggings etc in schools. It said the teachers would have to attend classes in formal clothes in sober colours, with party and casual apparel to be strictly avoided, the notification issued on Friday said.
The notification said a teacher was expected to be an example of all sorts of decency especially while discharging their duties, hence it has become necessary to follow a dress code. “It has come to the notice of the undersigned that some teachers of educational institutions are found in the habit of wearing the dress of their choice which sometimes does not appear to be acceptable by the public at large. Since a teacher is expected to be an example of all sorts of decency especially while discharging their duties, it has become necessary to follow a dress code that should reflect a sense of decorum, decency, professionalism and seriousness of purpose at the workplace,” the notification said.
The Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu later said the state government was also considering to introduce a school rule book for all government schools giving broader things about how the school was to be managed, and how the classes are to be conducted.
“This school rule book contains that the teachers should be dressed decently, properly and they should wear formal dress. For the students we have uniforms. So, the teachers should wear formal dress and come to the school,” Ranoj Pegu said.
Directing the teachers both male and female to be dressed up in clean, modest and decent clothes in sober colours” the notification said, “In view of the above, the Government in the Department of School Education is hereby pleased to prescribe the following dress code for teachers of all educational institutions. Male teachers should attend their duties in appropriate formal attire only (formal shirt-pant and not casual attire such as T-shirt, jeans etc.), Female teachers should attend their duties in decent Salwar Suit/Saree/Mekhela-Chador and not Casual Attire such as T-Shirt, Jeans, Leggings etc,” said in the notification issued by Narayan Konwar, Secretary of Department of School Education.
It further said that the above order shall be complied with scrupulously by all concerned and any deviation from this may invite disciplinary action as per rules.
