Y Merina Chishi
Dimapur | December 12
Once upon a time ‘school uniforms’ were a symbol of pride for students. It was worn with respect and dignity. Neatly pressed trousers, skirts, blazers and neckties with sparkling black shoes walked the school corridors and every child dreamed of wearing the school uniform some day. But over the years, school uniforms have been lost its significance and today students wear it like a piece of fashion garment.
In Nagaland, students abuse the school dress codes severely. Today’s kids look exactly like the wannabe Korean movie stars in skinny trousers, hipster skirts, loose neckties and branded shoes. Added to the unkempt school uniform are the hideous hairstyles and accessories dangling from every organ of the body. There is no sense of respect for the uniform or the institution it represents.
The most common fashion among schoolboys is the ‘skinny pants.’ The tight fitting pants cling to their hips and end right above the ankle. Many boys also wear the canvas shoes instead of the trademark black shoes. The skirts have also gotten shorter. Starting somewhere below the hip and ending several inches above the knee, school skirt has lost its modesty.
The trend is seen mostly in government schools where teachers find it extremely difficult to discipline students. Kilang Jamir, a university lecturer who previously worked in a government as well as a private school is of the opinion that government school authorities are not very particular about the way students wear their uniforms. She said that unless school authorities take the matter more seriously, students will continue to dress the way they like in government schools.
On the contrary she said that private schools are stricter. “If the skirts are too short or the boys wore skinny pants, we would either send them back home to change or undo the hemline on the spot,” she said. All other accessories like fancy ear rings, wrist and hair bands are also confiscated.
The vice-principal of a government school in Dimapur said that students are briefed at the time of admission about the kind of uniform they must wear to school but most don’t pay heed. She said that it is very difficult to discipline students especially those in the higher secondary classes. “We try our best to keep check on the students but it is practically impossible to do it every day,” she said in dismay. The school is planning to set up a “disciplinary committee” next year to keep check on the students in order to ensure they wear proper school uniforms among other things, she added.
Although most private schools maintain strict rules regarding school uniforms, there are some schools where teachers are unable to deal with the problem. A teacher serving in a high-profile school in Dimapur said that many children of rich parents come to school wearing “self designed” uniforms but teachers can’t scold them because the authorities don’t do anything about it. “Students are expected to adhere to standards of dress and appearance that are compatible with an effective learning environment. But here most students have no respect for the uniform or the school,” the teacher said.
