Kerala School Girl Now Can Wear Uniform Of Her Choice (Image: facebook.com/aisha.jamal.121)

Manjeri, Malappuram: Jannath Samaraveera, a seventh-standard student from Government Boys Higher Secondary School can now wear pants and shirt as her school uniform. The Kerala General Education Department issued a special order regarding the matter the other day, overriding the PTA committee’s directive regarding school uniforms.

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As per the school guidelines, boys are supposed to wear pants and shirt, and girls should wear churidar, pants, and an overcoat as uniforms. Citing difficulty posed by Jannath over wearing school uniform, her mother Advocate Aisha P Jamal, filed a complaint with the Education Minister, V Sivankutty. The complaint said that her daughter finds difficulty in boarding bus or moving freely due to the uniform since salwar top has no slit. Also, the overcoat was uncomfortable in the hot weather, she added.

The Department reviewed the petition and then decided to allow Jannath to wear the uniform of her personal choice, a gender-neutral option of pants and a shirt. The complaint earlier discussed in a specially convened meeting involving the District Education Officer, school authorities, parents, the complainant, and Jannath. However, PTA maintained the stance that they do not want to change the existing uniform. Finally, Education department took the decision that PTA can continue with their directive, while Jannath can opt for a gender-neutral uniform.

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Aisha said that she had at first approached the school authorities, requesting permission for Jannath to wear pants and shirt like boys, but they rejected, Mathrubhumi reports. She argued that denying girls access to the same uniforms as boys is against the principle of equality guaranteed by the Constitution. Aisha lauded the Education Department for their positive interventions and added that her daughter is being educated in a government school with high hopes for quality education and progressive outlook.