The Valayanchirangara Government Lower Primary School, near Perumbavoor in Ernakulam district in Kerala, has introduced a gender-neutral uniform for its students. The school uniform now comprises 3/4th shorts and shirts, irrespective of the child’s gender.
C Raji, the school's then-headmistress, had implemented the dress code back in 2018, in the lower primary section of the school. Now after the schools reopened, the dress code was extended to all students.
According to the report, 90 per cent of parents and students preferred gender-neutral uniforms. Raji also stated that she decided to implement the dress code after she observed that her female students were not very comfortable with skirts.
Three other schools in Kerala have adopted gender-neutral uniforms for students. This includes Ranni Government Lower Primary School in Pathanamthitta district, Karyambadi Government Lower Primary School in Wayanad, and Pilicode government school in Kasargod.
Kerala’s dress code for teachers was recently scrutinised as Higher Education minister, R Bindu, said that making it compulsory for teachers to wear saree doesn’t go well with Kerala’s liberal mindset. The state then issued a circular about the issue.
“The government has already made clear its stance in this regard multiple times. Teachers have every right to dress as per their comfort in Kerala regardless of the kind of institutes they work at. This practice of imposing sari on our teachers is not conducive to Kerala’s progressive attitude,” Bindu told news agency PTI.