Ministry to enforce national school dress code
(CNS): All children attending government schools must follow a strict national dress code at the start of the next academic year, which includes short hair for all boys and modest skirts for girls. While most schools already have their own uniform and dress policies, the Ministry of Education, in consultation with the Education Council, has revised the National Dress Code Policy, which will apply across the board and deals with the overall turn-out of students. The policy will take effect on 1 September 2018.
The ministry is launching a campaign under the title ‘Take Pride in Your Stride’ to encourage students to dress appropriately, officials said.
A release from the education ministry explained that students must dress in accordance with their specific school’s uniform policy in relation to the colour and style of socks, pants, skirts, shirts, blouses, belts, undershirts and required PE kit. However, the national dress code applies to all government schools. It states:
- Uniforms should be properly fitting.
- Skirts are required to be knee length and not above the knee. Pants are to be worn at waist height and shirts should be tucked in.
- No undergarments should be exposed or visible through the uniform.
- All students are required to wear black shoes/sneakers that do not contain other colours.
- Boots, sandals and slippers are not allowed.
- Students are permitted to wear a watch. No other jewellery is allowed.
- Items that display connection with gangs are not allowed e.g. badges, tattoos, colours or tagging.
- Girls’ hair should be groomed. Hair is required to be a natural colour, and extremes of hairstyles, such as a Mohawk, shaved lines/words, are not permitted. No beads should be worn in the hair.
- In keeping with the cultural norms of the Cayman Islands, hair of male students should be cut short. Hair is required to be a natural colour, and extremes of hairstyles, such as a Mohawk, shaved lines/words, are not permitted.
- Shaved eyebrows are not permitted.
- Makeup, nail polish and false nails are not permitted.
Officials said, “A dress code is a significant component in teaching students the important life skills of presenting themselves in a well-groomed manner and in dressing for purpose. It also helps to instill in students a sense of pride and belonging.”
The ministry stated that the purpose of the policy is to outline the expectations of all students in government schools and said it will be working with stakeholders to develop welcoming, supportive and inclusive learning environments that promote the well-being of all students and staff.
Students who violate the national dress code or their school’s own uniform policy could face detention. According to the policy, parents will be informed on the first violation; by the third, school leaders will meet with parents because students could be suspended from lessons.
The policy also advises principals who are faced with principled objections by parents to their child’s adhering to the dress code to respect the objections and take a non-confrontational approach to engage parents in clarifying the reasons for their objection. In such cases, short-term variations or long-term exemptions may apply.
Category: Education, Local News
We have a habit of instead of moving forward, we constantly take many steps backwards.
The real importance is education, we are already use to uniforms, but at least make them available, make them available in all sizes so that parents don’t have to alter uniforms costing them additional funds and time. Make them comfortable for our climate. Make them wearable for students safety. What I mean by this is, they should not require assistance getting in and out of them because they are difficult to button or unbutton. (major problem there but still not addressed)
My experience with uniforms in Cayman has not been a positive one. It has been so frustrating for students and parents alike.
Teachers instead of focusing on the curriculum are having to spend way too much time looking over uniforms. I am sure they would much rather focus on the curriculum.
What color clip are you wearing, it is pink and it is suppose to be brown or black? You have a gray streak in your shoes in the elastic, please take a black marker and color it in. Your hair is in a bob, please put a clip in your hair. Your hair touches your shoulders please it can not touch your shoulders, otherwise it has to be in a clip. Oh no extreme ponytails. Boys you are not allowed to have a ponytail. Your pants is not the correct color khaki, please buy this color khaki, your socks are too short, make sure they are above the ankle, your socks are too tall, make sure they are ankle height, your skirt is too short it has to be by the knee or below. Your pants do not say (school name), your pants are slim fit, they need to be baggy, your pants are too baggy they need to fit. Your hair is too big, your hair is too long, your hair is too short (for girls), your earrings should be small, no earrings allowed. I should not see your white undershirts, no beads in your hair, you are wearing the wrong color belt, it should be black instead of brown, your shoes although black are not appropriate for the school, no boots. Your socks has a logo, they are not allowed, only plain white colored socks. You have clear nail polish on, please scrape it off. Girls, boys your nails are way too long, cut them down.
Ok, I did that to show how ridiculous this all is, exhausting is it not?
I think a dress code is needed, but some of things are a little bit to much. Length of skirt, yes…pants fitting boys properly, yes….shirts fitting both boys and girls, yes…hair needs to be kept neat and tidy, yes….but unfortunately this isn’t being enforced. Went to Hurleys yesterday and there was a mother and her daughter, the girl went to Prep, and her skirt was way to short, I would say a good 12″ above her knee, that she kept pulling it down….so there you go about enforcing…
SAD FOR OUR YOUTH
It seems like the spirit behind most of the comments I read, is one that wants the Cayman Islands turn into a LAWLESS society!
From growing up, I didn’t like some of the rules in my school. But obeying the rules meant respecting authority, and it did no hurt to me or to the parents to obey the ones we thought were unnecessary. We learnt obedience is an act of respect, and that there is a reason behind every rule. It wasn’t all about the good grades, our children must also learn to be good law abiding citizens!
Shouldn’t that be part of our education curriculum? Don’t you want Cayman’s youth to be law-abiding citizens?
Then parents must work with teachers to ensure a conducive teaching environment mirrors a disciplined society. “You can never separate education from discipline” someone posted, and that’s truth. You need them both!
And here is the thing that annoys me. The same ones complaining here about boys hair should be long like girls, and girls should dress any way they feel like, do you see them voicing it at the PTA meetings???
If these matters are so important, why not participate in our school elections and vote out the heads you don’t like. And Cayman has a democratic system of government, am I right? Why not be a good example to our children and vote out leaders if you want a change of rule and laws? But no, I am afraid, first, many of you posters don’t attend the PTA meetings to participate. Then you use this site to promote a rebellious spirit that disregards respect for authority. It seems like you have other things on your agenda using this news site:
To get into uproars and oppose the school management, speak bad about disciplinarians, down to the simplest things, such as dress and how short a boys hair should be, I think sets a foul example to our children, to see you the grown adult opposing rules that does no harm to keep! It shows you don’t care much at all for the behaviorial issues between Caymanians and the guardians of our society. There is nothing proud in fostering a rebellious spirit, nothing promoting peace or for the cause of true liberty – but it is egoic in nature, an immoral path encouraging others, our young to take.
Unison
Thanks for reminding us to stop listening to you on account of you being 500 years old
and completely out of touch with reality
How are you even on the internet
What a load of pearl-clutching, self-righteous, sanctimonious drivel.
What has shocked me most in these comments is not so much the reactions to the rules themselves but the way the dress of children has been linked to child sexual abuse.
I was frankly disappointed that as a society we are so ill informed. And what is most troubling is that our attitudes tend to contribute to the incidence of child abuse—certainly these uninformed attitudes do not help to discourage this behavior among perpetrators.
Child sexual abuse is about the perversion in the adult perpetrator and not the child’s behavior.
Dressing the child differently will not “prevent” men (or women) who are inclined this way from committing these horrendous acts, as some seem to think.
Dress is NOT what triggers the behavior in the perpetrator. It is far more complex.
Here is an article that may help us to understand sexual abuse across the spectrum:
http://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/A_E/Common-myths-about-sexual-assault
I worked 2 decades in an inner city school where they implemented dress code years ago. Honestly, the first year was total madness! Everyone complained for their own personal reasons. The dress code was strictly enforced each day. Students were sent home for major infractions and given Saturday or lunch detentions for minor infractions. The dress code does work. It does not improve attendance or academics, but it let us keep track of who belonged in the school- it equalized all students( everyone was dressed the same and looked polished) & no more arguments over low hanging pants, gang colors, short skirts etc. The dress code is no longer an issue and now clothes are just passed down after graduation. Hope this gives hope. Give it a year and everyone will like it in the end. It turns out cheaper for parents- no thought dressing for students and no issues for teachers. First year is rough, though. Must be consistently enforced by all to work.
You clearly do not have a clue what goes on in Cayman. Most children do wear a uniform already.
Well, clearly you think that I didn’t read the article , the many posts or have knowledge of the issue before posting.
Did you actually pay attention for example last year to how the kids dressed, especially the high school kids. Some of the young ladies looked like they were going clubbing. Some of the men looked like they were in a gang. This was long overdue. And I hope that it is seriously enforced!!!
Short hair is a “cultural norm”? Only if you have no culture.
Typical Cayman.
Absolutely no awareness of how a society evolves.
They still want to stay stuck in the 1800’s.
By the way, in islamic ruled countries this is common. The government controls the behavior of the people.
It seems in this so called christian country it is the exact same thing.
Kids are the future. Let them experiment….and not become slaves of the establishment.
@8:26 You are so clueless. This isn’t about controlling people. Moronic statement. And you cannot compare islamic ruled countries to Cayman. If Cayman was run like one, women wouldn’t be able to wear pants, we couldn’t wear different types of materials together, jewelry would be a sin as would makeup.