Time to scrap school uniforms, says Democrat

By The Nation

 

 

The government should scrap the rule requiring students to wear uniforms to school, in order to relieve the financial burden of parents, a prominent conservative politician has suggested.

 

 

Mallika Boonmeetrakool Mahasook, a Democratic Party member and founder of Mallika Foundation, proposed abolishing the compulsory wearing of uniforms in every public school.

 

“Every year, before the start of the new academic year in May, we always see news of parents struggling with the financial burden of having to buy expensive student uniforms; some parents line up in front of pawn shops to borrow money for purchasing their children’s new uniforms,” Mallika said.

 

 

She pointed out that the main reason for this problem was because all public schools enforced the rule that their students wear uniforms, so most families had to spend on this set of clothing every year.

 

“Since wearing a student uniform does not improve a student’s academic performance, I suggest that the Education Ministry scrap the rule requiring the wearing of uniforms in public schools. If they are allowed to wear appropriate dresses, it would save their parents this annual financial burden,” she said.

 

“This is not an era where poor students have to suffer humiliation. We should end the perpetuation of wrong social norms that judge people on the clothes they wear at schools.”

 

She also urged schools to pay more attention to enhancing the quality of teaching than focusing on students’ uniforms, as the two have no correlation.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30369228

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-05-13

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30 minutes ago, webfact said:

scrap the rule requiring students to wear uniforms to school, in order to relieve the financial burden of parents

 

Boy they sure have that backwards...no surprise :)

 

But truthfully a couple cheap uniforms are way cheaper for parents than the latest fashion etc

A uniform may be washed & re-worn many days in a row...street clothes? not so much

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

“This is not an era where poor students have to suffer humiliation. We should end the perpetuation of wrong social norms that judge people on the clothes they wear at schools.”

Maybe she should get into the new world of social media, selfies etc., the reason for uniform, is that every student doesn't have to worry about peer pressure, when it comes to their clothes.

Subsidising uniforms for poorer families would be a far better idea.

While school uniforms are rare in the US, a few schools require them, particularly in inner city areas.  

 

In addition to the very valid points made by the posters above, uniforms keep gang members from wearing their "colors".  As Thailand has a violent gang problem at many Tech schools, they should keep their uniforms.

25 minutes ago, otherstuff1957 said:

While school uniforms are rare in the US, a few schools require them, particularly in inner city areas.  

 

In addition to the very valid points made by the posters above, uniforms keep gang members from wearing their "colors".  As Thailand has a violent gang problem at many Tech schools, they should keep their uniforms.

I'm not so sure about your last point - as far as I can discern their uniforms are their gang "colours". How many times have the media reported Tech school A having a massive fight with Tech school B students, and all of them are in uniform - it helps distinguish "the enemy" when one gets on a bus, so they know who to stab/shoot/bash is not one of their own. Going incognito out of uniform might help reduce the problem of recognition. Added to which, it is rather ridiculous that tertiary education students are wearing uniforms at their age - it adds to the problem of infantilisation in Thailand, which prevents these young adults from ever properly growing up. ????

Uniforms are the ONLY thing I like about this Thai education system.....

2 hours ago, webfact said:

wrong social norms that judge people on the clothes they wear at schools.”

 

She also urged schools to pay more attention to enhancing the quality of teaching than focusing on students’ uniforms, as the two have no correlation.

amounts to butting heads with a fundamental tenet of thainess; appearance over substance

They are struggling to buy student uniforms because of the sluggish economy. Nearly everyone doing business here can see things changing for the worse.

I really do hope they keep the Thai school uniforms:

 

I agree, stop teachers from ever again wearing a uniform that makes kids treat them like army generals.

Maybe the Generals could subsidise the uniforms from their generous salary and brown envelopes ???????????

25 minutes ago, a977 said:

Maybe the Generals could subsidise the uniforms from their generous salary and brown envelopes ???????????

 

That’s funny…the Generals don’t even subsidize the uniforms of their personal servants. Young men who are forcibly conscripted into the Thai army have to pay for their own uniforms.

 

 

The financial burden comes with the cost of having to buy new uniforms due to the fact that the students' names need to be embroidered onto them so no hand-me-downs or 2nd hand sales. I reckon rather than scrapping uniforms, scrapping the name requirement would make more sense.

12 minutes ago, SABloke said:

The financial burden comes with the cost of having to buy new uniforms due to the fact that the students' names need to be embroidered onto them so no hand-me-downs or 2nd hand sales. I reckon rather than scrapping uniforms, scrapping the name requirement would make more sense.

All of the above AND reducing the number of uniforms needed. I think it's three per week, normal school uniform, sports day uniform and scouts uniform. 

I actually liked the article and the message. Do away with the uniforms. Its not just one uniform. Mondays shorts and white shirts, Tuesday and Thursday school sports clothes, Wednesday Boy Scout uniforms, Fridays (in the North) Lanna clothing. This is for elementary school. Thats a huge amount of money for some parents. 

 University I worked at same kinda stuff, but the school also sold and required special shirts for sports day, goodbye seniors, etc. My uni students living on Mama noodles used to bitch about it. 

 If the teachers still want to play dress up on Mondays and Wednesdays let them... 

I like uniforms ;)

 

After a recent event I thought the uniform tailor business must be a huge and crisis proof industry. Btw. how many schools and teachers fork in on that?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

This is not an era where poor students have to suffer humiliation. We should end the perpetuation of wrong social norms that judge people on the clothes they wear at schools.”

Unfortunately I think it still is.

   You will always have parents who like to "show off" how much money they have by trying to make their little darling the best dressed child in the class.

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

amounts to butting heads with a fundamental tenet of thainess; appearance over substance

That is not just a Thai problem.   The last country to not have that problem was Chairman Mao's in the 1960s.

Interesting proposal, mostly because Thailand is (for obvious reasons) such a militaristic and obedience orientated country. Having your own thoughts is not being appreciated here, and dressing all kids in uniform is part of the greater scheme going on. It is not just kids, but also teachers dress like they are in the army, as well as any other government worker.

 

My guess is that breaking with this tradition is not going to happen, not as long as the army is in control (which is has been for the past decades). 

The reality, uniforms are good as noted by other posters the problem the schools continue to change the colors to make money for themselves. Standardize the color and style most of all illuminate the need for 3 different uniforms.

Last, it should be FREE the government needs to provide them if they require them! There is plenty of money plus you don't want to see the average poor wear outside of school you don't want a keeping up with the Jones scenario in school. 

3 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

Maybe she should get into the new world of social media, selfies etc., the reason for uniform, is that every student doesn't have to worry about peer pressure, when it comes to their clothes.

Subsidising uniforms for poorer families would be a far better idea.

Yes. But if it was just one and not a different one for every day of the week it makes more sense!!

3 hours ago, mania said:

 

Boy they sure have that backwards...no surprise ????

 

But truthfully a couple cheap uniforms are way cheaper for parents than the latest fashion etc

A uniform may be washed & re-worn many days in a row...street clothes? not so much

Uniforms cheap......have you got kids...far from cheap can tell you that, I've just spent almost 10k on my kids...not so much for me but a months salary for many

Good idea, many parents have absolutely no money to be able to bear such spending annually!

What kind of things you dont hear today!!! The cost of school uniform is now becoming a problem! What next?  ask student to simply stay at home and study in front of a computer in order to save on transportation cost! Isnt to solve the problem on cost of having to find costly garments that school uniform has become a must. 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Time to scrap school uniforms, says Democrat

I suggested this yesterday - does that mean the Democrats read TV?

 

3 hours ago, otherstuff1957 said:

While school uniforms are rare in the US, a few schools require them, particularly in inner city areas.  

 

In addition to the very valid points made by the posters above, uniforms keep gang members from wearing their "colors".  As Thailand has a violent gang problem at many Tech schools, they should keep their uniforms.

Tech schools can easily tell the different schools as some have a logo but all have writing. Irrelevant. 

30 minutes ago, Bob12345 said:

Interesting proposal, mostly because Thailand is (for obvious reasons) such a militaristic and obedience orientated country. Having your own thoughts is not being appreciated here, and dressing all kids in uniform is part of the greater scheme going on. It is not just kids, but also teachers dress like they are in the army, as well as any other government worker.

 

My guess is that breaking with this tradition is not going to happen, not as long as the army is in control (which is has been for the past decades). 

You got it right on the head of the nail! It's called conformity and conditioning. 

op·por·tun·ist

/ˌäpərˈt(y)o͞onəst/

noun

noun: opportunist; plural noun: opportunists

1. 1.

   a person who exploits circumstances to gain immediate advantage rather than being guided by consistent principles or plans.

    

adjective

adjective: opportunist

1. 1.

   opportunistic.

   "the calculating and opportunist politician"

    

    

   ....we saw that with a recent newcomer in the arena....

    

   ...just pretend you care about some issue.....???

    

   ...(but make sure it will win you support or votes)...

    

   ...this...or next time around.....

    

    

    

1 hour ago, Phuketshrew said:

I really do hope they keep the Thai school uniforms:

 

Saving money too, this girl is wearing the same uniform as she wore in grade 3. Explains why those skirts just seem to get shorter and shorter, tighter and tighter.