New dress code for teachers in Chinese province

BEIJING - Authorities will keep an eye on the behaviour and clothing of elementary and middle school teachers in Nanjing, the capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province, in a bid to keep their image “graceful”, a media report said Wednesday.

Local education authorities passed an order in this regard Sep 14, China Daily reported citing Yangtse Evening Post.

The order proposes 15 rules governing teachers’ apparel and social behaviour, among others.

The order states clothes should not be wrinkled, filthy, tight-fitting, transparent or over exposed. Heavy makeup, conspicuous jewellery, dyeing hair and painting fingernails are banned.

Sitting postures are also targeted. Teachers can’t take their seat before guests, seniors or women and should not take up the whole seat, lean back or stretch their legs.

Some parents have endorsed the scheme. One said: “I think teachers are supposed to dress appropriately. If they turn too trendy, it may set a poor example for the students.”

However, some teachers have voiced their objections claiming the regulation will confine their life.

One teacher said: “It could mean that we give up life as a normal person who is never allowed to wear tank-tops or slippers, right?”