Shorts over skirts: Students at Kerala govt school get unisex gender-neutral uniform

A government school in Kerala has introduced unisex uniforms for its students in the current academic year, The Hindu reports. Girls and boys studying at the Valayanchirangara Government Lower Primary School wear gender-neutral shorts and shirt as their uniform. The new rule has been established for students of all classes so as to enable easy movement.

Speaking about it, Raji C, headmistress of the school, told The Hindu that parents were also in support of the new rule. "This is particularly convenient for girls who can play easily now. We were initially worried about the reaction from parents who might want their girls to continue wearing skirts. But most parents have welcomed the idea," Raji C told The Hindu.

That girls can only wear skirts is a perception that will also change with the introduction of the new rule at the school. As per the report, girls were "excited" about the pockets in their shorts. Before implementing the regulation, gender-neutral uniforms were introduced for students of the pre-primary section in 2018 as a trial.

The number of students at the school, meanwhile, has also increased from 609 in 2015 to 681 at present. "We have had 40 new admissions for Classes 2 to 4 this year alone though there are several private CBSE schools in the vicinity," Raji C added.

The 104-year-old school is operated by an all-women team of teachers and other staff.

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