Teachers in Dahod exempt from ‘sari rule’

Vadodara: Months after state government’s directive to not make sari compulsory for women teachers in schools, primary teachers in Dahod have been exempted from wearing the nine yard-long attire.
Dahod district primary education officer (DPEO) has directed primary education officers in all talukas of Dahod to not insist on wearing of a sari by a woman teacher. DPEO N G Vyas said the decision was taken after receiving representations from many teachers of the district.

Sources said at school management-level and taluka-level female teachers in primary schools were asked to don sari mandatorily. However, primary teachers said they were facing discomfort in wearing sari and travelling long distances.

“Before taking the decision, we asked for the opinion of deputy education director in Gandhinagar who said sari cannot be made mandatory for teachers. A formal dress be it salwar-kameez or sari that is suitable can be worn by a teacher,” said Vyas.

There are around 4,500 female primary teachers in over 1,650 schools in Dahod district.

Last year, in July, the state government too had issued a notification indicating that women teachers may choose formal attire that suits them and they should not be harassed for not wearing a sari to work and at other places while on duty. The issue was also represented before deputy chief minister Nitin Patel by Gujarat Government Teaching and Non-teaching Staffers’ Committee.

According to sources, the state government had never made sari mandatory dress for teachers. Several district education offices had passed orders on different occasions making sari compulsory in schools.