IMPLEMENTATION OF MANDATORY SCHOOL UNIFORM CLOTHING POLICY AND SCHOOL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN PUBLIC JUNIOR AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS: PERSPECTIVE FROM MALAYSIA
Abstract
Purpose of the Study: The purpose of the current study was assess the association between the implementation of mandatory school uniform clothing policy and school learning environment in public junior schools in Malaysia.
Methodology: This was a literature based study in which the researcher conducted thorough literature review of relevant journals and articles to derive the study themes.
Result: The findings revealed that in most public junior and middle schools in Malaysia, assault and battery cases among students had decreased significantly by 34% after the adoption of mandatory uniform policy. Additionally, assault with a deadly weapon decreased by 50%, fighting incidents declined by 51%, and sex offenses dropped by 74%. Possession of weapons dropped by 52%, possession of drugs dropped significantly by 69%, and vandalism was lowered by 18%. The study noted that middle schools in most parts of Malaysia reported a decline in gang activity after instituting uniform policy. Furthermore, most schools in the same category reported a drop in fights, graffiti, property damage, and battery. Overall, there was a 63% drop in police reports with regards to indiscipline cases among students across the country.
Conclusion: The study concludes that when students are wearing uniforms in the same colors, it’s easy for the administration and teaching teams to determine who may be a guest or an intruder on our campus. The study also concludes that wearing school uniforms primarily serves to distinguish members/nonmembers, such distinction is very important in the school environment since the inclusion of students in the school environment is one of the essential conditions of their successful school attendance
Recommendation: The study recommends to the managements of all schools in Malaysia both public and private to keep uniforms where they are already used and to consider introducing uniforms where they are not yet common. There is need for the school management to strive to enforce the law regarding school uniforms in their schools because school uniform has been found to improve learning, attendance and discipline and student behavior.
Keywords: Uniform clothing, Mandatory policy, Learning environment, Junior and middle School
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