Astana School Uniform Dispute Erupts Over Black Trousers

Black trousers have triggered an unexpected dispute between the parents of a schoolgirl in Astana and her school administration. The girl reportedly attended school in black trousers, a white shirt and a black vest, after which her parents were allegedly called and told that the trousers had to be dark blue.

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Come in, you’ll have to pay a fine.

“The class teacher calls about the uniform and says outright: ‘Come in, you’ll have to pay a fine.’ A fine for black trousers instead of dark blue ones? Seriously? How does the color of trousers affect learning at all?” the girl’s mother wrote in a social media post. She said her daughter had also worn black trousers during the previous academic year without objections.

Astana’s Education Department said black and dark blue school uniforms are permitted in the capital’s general education schools. It denied that the parents faced a fine because of the color and said the school had been instructed to explain the requirements more clearly to teachers and parents.

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A fine for black trousers instead of dark blue ones? Seriously? How does the color of trousers affect learning at all?

The dispute comes after widespread social media discussion of school rules on hairstyles, hair color, makeup and manicures. The Education Ministry has said schools may establish appearance requirements in internal regulations, with approval involving boards of trustees, parents’ committees and student self-government. Schools should first discuss violations with students and inform their parents. Repeated violations can result in administrative penalties, including a warning or a fine of 5 MCI, or 21,625 tenge, and 20 MCI, or 86,500 tenge, for another violation within a year.

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The information that the parents of students at the school in question face a fine over the color of the school uniform is not true.