Minister not swayed by casual attire

Minister not swayed by casual attire

A student from the Bad Students group hangs school uniforms on the gates of the Education Ministry on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue in protest against wearing school uniforms during a demonstration in front of the ministry. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
A student from the Bad Students group hangs school uniforms on the gates of the Education Ministry on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue in protest against wearing school uniforms during a demonstration in front of the ministry. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan vowed on Tuesday not to bow to pressure from the "Bad Students" group to allow students to wear casual clothes at school.

"The campaign that is urging students to wear their own clothes to class is intended to force me to make a choice," Mr Nataphol said. "But I will make my decision based on what is the right thing to do, not because of social pressure."

Despite his personal views, the minister said teachers must let students attend classes no matter what they wore, after one school denied access to some defiant students who turned up wearing their casual attire.

Mr Nataphol said teachers could not bar students from attending classes -- certain protocols must be followed when a student breaks school rules. His ministry had a procedure that addressed every issue raised by students and it was now seeking proper solutions to their problems, he said.

Some students wore casual attire for the start of the new term on Tuesday, in response to protesters' calls for them to be free to choose what they wore.

A student in a casual outfit walks with another one wearing uniform into Triam Udom Suksa School on Tuesday following an activity organised by the so-called 'Bad Students' group. The school allowed him to attend classes. (Photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool)

The suggestion they leave their uniforms at home for the first day of term was made by the Bad Students group, which predicted hordes of students at 23 schools, including the well-known Samsenwittayalai and Triam Udom Suksa, would take part, when in fact most students turned up wearing their uniforms. There were a few problems, however. At Bangkok's Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School, about 20 students from the Bad Students group arrived in casual clothes and held up placards protesting the strict dress code.

The school's director Wisit Chaitherng asked them to explain why they were not wearing their uniforms and said they would not be allowed into class since uniforms were compulsory.

In Khon Kaen province, about 50 students at Kaennakhonwitthayalai School wore casual attire and were told this would not be allowed.

Sirote Klampaiboon, a Voice TV television host, tweeted that a parent of a student at Horwang School in Bangkok yesterday filed a complaint against the school's director for barring her son from attending class for not wearing his school uniform.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha backs the current rules, saying uniforms allow officials to easily recognise students in the event of an emergency and help save on clothing costs.

High school students who wear personal clothes talk to a teacher at the gate of Horwang School in Bangkok. Four students of the school did not wear uniform to school on the first day of the new term on Tuesday.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (3)