From the next school year, students are no longer required to embroider their names on their school uniforms, Minister of Education Pan Wen-chung (潘文忠) said yesterday.
The Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy said it had received complaints from students who had been harassed by people who had seen their names on their uniforms and found their information online.
The K-12 Education Administration convened a meeting involving all education-related authorities, including representative groups for school presidents, parents and students, to discuss the issue, Pan said.
Photo: CNA
All who were present agreed that students’ names should be dropped from their uniforms, but their numbers should be kept, as they could be used to identify them in an emergency, he said.
The Ministry of Education found that one-quarter of all schools in the country demand that only male students embroider their names on their uniforms, Pan said adding that schools should not discriminate based on gender.
At present, 8 percent of elementary schools require their students to have their names on their uniforms, while half of all junior-high and high schools have the requirement, Pan said.
Official notices would be sent to all authorities and schools as soon as possible, and all schools should involve parents and students and come to a conclusion that would observe the ministry’s decision before the start of the next term in August, Pan said.
It is hoped that all uniform and dress code committees discuss the issue objectively and refrain from adopting measures for the pure sake of management, Pan said.
Pan also said that he hoped schools would begin reviewing other antiquated regulations, such as forbidding students to wear warmer clothing on colder days.
Separately, the association praised the ministry’s decision, but said that schools should involve student representatives when discussing dress code policies.
The association said it respects the opinions of others regarding the decision to keep student identification numbers on uniforms, adding that it hoped all students’ right to privacy would be protected.
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