Teachers urge FDE not to ‘dictate’ how to dress up

Islamabad: The teachers of Islamabad’s government schools and colleges

have given the thumbs down to the Federal Directorate of Education’s (FDE) sudden orders for them on what to wear and how to maintain good personal hygiene, declaring the controversial move one of the misplaced priorities of the regulator for public sector education.

A lecturer at Islamabad Model College for Boys H-9 told ‘The News’ on condition of anonymity that clothing was the right of teachers to decide.

He said the FDE had literally insulted teachers by asking them to regularly cut hair, trim beard, clip nails, have a shower and use deodorant or perfume as if they’re small children unaware of hygienic practices.

The teacher also found the ban on T-shirts and jeans to be foolish.

“Dress code for teachers shows the misplaced priorities of the FDE. I just wonder if asking teachers to wear what to wear and what not is more important than addressing what actually ails education or if it will improve student learning in any way,” he said.

The lecturer pointed out misspellings in the notification.

A woman teacher of the Islamabad Model College for Girls (Postgraduate) F-7/4 insisted that clothing was a means to express personality.

She said teachers felt more comfortable in classroom when dressed up casually.

“Forcing people to get dressed in a specific manner, especially the one that doesn’t go well with their personality or personal preferences, will serve no purpose and instead, it may have a negative bearing on teaching,” she said.

An associate professor at the Islamabad Model Postgraduate College H-8 said clothing was one of the simplest ways to express one’s identity.

“I feel really comfy in jeans or other casual clothes while working in lab with students. It lets me focus on teaching instead of my appearance. Teachers should be allowed to put on whatever they want to. At maximum, they could be asked to don gown in classroom or on special occasions,” she said.

A clerk at the Islamabad Model College for Girls I-8/3 also objected to the dress code orders and urged the FDE to fund the clothing of low-income employees.

He said he strongly believed that principals won’t force employees into following clothing and hygiene guidelines to prevent bad blood between them.

A representative of the Federal Government College Teachers Association said the regulator for public sector educational institutions should have a certain level of trust in teachers and let them decide what’s suitable to wear at work.

“Teachers have the right to express themselves, so restricting them to a dress code is tantamount to encroaching on their right to clothing. The FDE should right this wrong without delay to the relief of teachers,” he said.