Hijab Polemic At SMKN 2 Padang: Maybe The Momentum For Nadiem To Omit The Useless Uniform Concept

Photo illustration of elementary school students in uniform (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The regulation of using the headscarf for non-Muslim students at SMKN 2 Padang has become a polemic. Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim even urged SMKN 2 to annul the mandatory requirement for religious-specific clothing as uniforms. We see the other side. Maybe this could be a momentum to completely negate the concept of uniforms. It's okay, we couldn't find a correlation between learning activities and uniform use.

Nadiem took a firm step. This case is said to not only violate the values of Pancasila, but also the applicable rules. "Schools should not make any rule or appeal for students to use specific religious clothing models as school uniforms at all. Especially if they are not in accordance with the religion or beliefs of students," he said.

The emergence of this problem is considered to be a momentum for the government to advice some schools that they no longer require school uniforms. Not only it is unrelated to education, the mandatory to use school uniforms also creates many problems.

History of school uniforms

Photo illustration of an elementary school child in Teluk Wondama, West Papua (Source: Antara)

Before exploring the benefits of uniforms, we need to know the history. Summarizing from various sources, the use of school uniforms in Indonesia began to be intensively applied during the Japanese colonial period. The country, which in the World War II era was full of militarism, brought high discipline values to the people of the Netherlands Indies, including students.

However, at that time the school uniform was not as colorful as it is now. The color regulation that distinguishes the levels of education was only made during the reign of President Soeharto in 1982, through a Decree (SK) issued by the Directorate General of Primary and Secondary Education.

The decree regulates the color patterns that apply at each school level, such as red for elementary school levels, blue for junior secondary levels, and gray for senior secondary levels. The originator of the idea of color patterns and the rules for the use of this school uniform was Idik Sulaeman, who was then Director of Student Development from 1979-1983.

Photo illustration of female students in uniform (Source: Bulelengkab.go.id)

Determining the color of school uniforms has its own meaning. For elementary students, for example. The bottom with red color symbolizes energy and courage for students to learn. Meanwhile, the blue color of junior high school uniforms symbolizes self-confidence because during this period junior high school students in general are developing self-confidence. And the gray color of the high school uniform shows maturity and poise.

In some schools, especially private ones, uniforms can vary. It is said that the rules for using school uniforms were made to cover social disparities between students. This fairy tale is widely believed by people until now.

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Pseudo benefits

With the existence of uniforms, many people believe they can eliminate the dichotomy of rich and poor. But in reality this is not the case.

In fact, uniforms cannot cover the background identity of students. Those who come from wealthy families can still express their wealth with other attributes. For example, shoes, watches, even what vehicle that pickups the student when they return home.

Seeing all the students in neat uniforms may feel more pleasing to the eye than letting students choose the clothes they want to wear while in school. However, this thing did not offer any lessons.

Photo illustration (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

According to F. Wawan Setyadi in the book Menjadi Manusia Bebas, with uniformity, there is nothing that can be justified. Only free people can be held accountable.

Wawan meant when we are 'forced' to wear a uniform, nothing could be accounted through the uniform. It is a different case with the freedom to determine one's own clothes. Someone will learn to be accountable for these choices.

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No need to be obliged

Likewise, the National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), Ubaid Matraji, assessed that school uniforms have nothing to do with learning and education. Therefore, Ubaid agrees that school uniforms are not required.

"I agree more that uniforms are not mandatory. Because there is no direct correlation with learning," he told VOI.

Ubaid said, uniforms cannot make students look equal. "Because this uniform is only for the benefit of schools, branding and marketing."

In addition, Ubaid said that the obligation to use uniforms also burdens parents and creates problems at school. "It is troublesome for parents because they have to pay for uniforms and often it becomes a reason for the school to do business instead," said Ubaid.

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