Islamabad instructs teachers and staff to maintain formal dress-code

Education authorities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi have issued a formal dress code and banned teachers and non-teaching staff from wearing jeans and tights during office hours.

The Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Director Academics and Quality Assurance Saadia Adnan has instructed that all subject staff must maintain a formal dress code while on the official workspace, institutional premises, during official gatherings and ceremonies and meetings alike.

As per the new dress code, male teachers have been banned from wearing jeans and T-shirts.

Female teachers have been encouraged to “wear appropriate simple and decent” shalwar-qameez preferably with waistcoat/coat in accordance with weather conditions. Dress shirt (full sleeves preferably with tie) and trousers (dress pants and cotton pants only) have been recommended to be put on during office hours.

“Wearing of jeans is not allowed in any case but during the summer season, half sleeves dress shirt and bush shirt can also be worn but T-shirts of all types are not allowed and only formal shoes must be worn. Owing to long-standing hours during teaching, comfortable shoes like sneakers and sandals can be worn as well.

However, wearing slippers is not allowed at all. The scarf can be worn with coats but no shawls (chadars) are allowed at all,” said the notification, adding that pardah observing females are allowed to wear scarf/hijab while ensuring its clean and neat appearance.

All area education officers have been directed to ensure the implementation of the dress code.

Talking about the dress code, FDE Director Academics Saadia Adnan said that in rural schools, verbal orders had been issued to heads of institutions several times about the dress and appearance of teachers and non-teaching staff, but it was not implemented.

She said that the dress code has now been issued in writing, banning the use of jeans for both male and female teachers.

“Jeans are not a formal dress and there should be a formal dress in the office. Teachers are role models for children but male teachers do not pay attention to their dressing. The dress code has been implemented immediately,” Saadia stated.

On the other hand, education authorities in Rawalpindi have issued a 20-point guideline for educational institutions, banning the use of mobile phones during office timings.

The new guidelines were issued at a joint meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali and District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer Kashif Azam.

According to the new guidelines, strict orders have been issued to make the security of all schools foolproof. All teachers will be required to hand over their mobile phones to the school heads as soon as they show up at the educational institutions in the morning. However, in case of emergency, they can use the mobile phone of school principals. All teachers are required to arrive at schools 15 minutes before the school timing.

Schools have been asked to speed up the enrolment campaign during its third phase and complete it by October 31. Orders have also been issued to start extra-curricular activities for the physical and mental development of children.

The guidelines stated that all Grade-IV employees will arrive half an hour before the start of school and after the school closes, they will check washrooms, classrooms and ensure that water taps, fans, lights were switched off.

In addition, provision of clean drinking water, dengue campaign, implementation of coronavirus SOPs in the schools had also been made mandatory.

Orders have also been issued to paint all government school buildings and beautify grounds and exterminate the weeds.

All primary, middle, high, higher secondary schools in Rawalpindi district have been allowed to use money from the non-salary budget and the education promotion fund to facilities the students.

In this regard, letters have been sent to all district and tehsil education officers and area education officers to implement these instructions.

Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi education department has sought a list of all teachers, education officers and non-teaching staff who have gone abroad on holidays or joined other institutions on deputation but did not return and those who have availed extra leaves.

Education officials have been directed to submit the list within three days. In the circular issued to the school heads and education officers, it has been asked whether or not the teachers and officers who went abroad have returned at the end of the holidays and joined their respective departments.

Strict orders have also been issued to take stern action against the teachers and officers who did not return to their duties after the end of their deputation period and holidays.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2021.