DAPSY urges the Education Ministry to issue a clear guideline on dress
code for all public education institutions and all schools in the country
and ensure no hijacking of the guideline by errant officials or principals
Statement
by Raymond Chong Yoh Chyi
(Petaling Jaya,
Thursday): According
to a press report today, the Education Minister, Tan Sri Musa Mohamad has
said that the ministry would stop the institutions from implementing their
rules on dress code if they were found to be "unreasonable" or against the
ministry regulations. He was commenting on a graduation notice by
Polytechnic Ungku Omar in Ipoh which stated that all graduating students
must wear the songkok or tudung for their convocation in April.
This case has again highlighted that there are some education officials and
principals who are always trying to implement their own regulations and
values as far as dressing is concerned on the students without taking into
considerations the sensitivities of the multi-racial, multi-religious and
multi-cultural character of the Malaysian society.
The insensitive directive in the Polytechnic Ungku Omar is the second case
highlighted in the last three months. In December last year, the school
principal of Sekolah Menengah Infant Jesus Convent in Malacca, Datin Rahimah
Ghazali has reportedly required all students in the school to wear baju
kurung on every Friday. It was because the issue was highlighted by DAP
Secretary General and Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka, Kerk Kim Hock
then, the principal eventually backed down on her directive and clarified
that the measure was not compulsory.
The Education Ministry must clarify whether there are any clear guidelines
on dress code for all public education institutions and schools to follow or
there are some education officials who are trying to be errant and hijack
the guidelines and rulings of the Ministry and implement their own
regulations on the students.
The Education Ministry must realize that imposing dress code against the
wishes and sensitivities of other communities by certain education
institutions will only strengthen the notion among non-Malays that the
national school is a one-race school and this is very unhealthy to the
development of the national education system. Thus, the Education Ministry
must issue a clear guideline on dress code for all public education
institutions to follow and take stern disciplinary actions against officials
who defy the guidelines.
(27/2/2003)
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Raymond Chong Yoh Chyi, DAPSY Vice Chairman
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