The State Government’s intention to implement dress code for Government school teachers has met strong resistance from the teaching community. The teachers are terming it as an attempt to curtail their freedom. The agitating teachers are of the view that by imposing dress code the Government is also questioning their wisdom of wearing clothes.
The idea of a dress code for teachers of Government schools was first expressed by Education Minister Arvind Pandey in the recent past. On the orders of the Minister, the Education Department has started the process of choosing right set of dress for the male and female teachers. The teachers, however, are opposing the idea of dress code. In social media they are freely venting their anger on the plan. “It is a dictatorial step. How can the Government decide what I should wear and what I shouldn’tIJ We are not students where uniform is needed,’’ said one of the teacher posted in Chakrata block of Dehradun.
Another teacher deployed in Raipur block of Dehradun questioned as to why only teachers are being forced to wear a dress determined by the Government and not other employees. They are also putting pressure on their respective organisations to register their protest on the proposed move.
Unperturbed by the opposition of teachers, the Education Minister has asserted that the dress code would be implemented soon. By implementing a dress code the education department intends to impose uniformity in what teachers wear. Another reason for dress code imposition is regular complaints that many teachers attend schools wearing clothes which create wrong impression in the minds of students.
While the department is mulling over the type and design of the dress, the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT), State Institute of Education Management Training (SIEMAT) and District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) have implemented a dress code for teachers in the training programmes.
These institutes have banned teachers from wearing jeans and T-shirts. SIEMAT and SCERT have asked male teachers to wear white shirt and black trousers while female teachers are advised to wear saris during training.