Student Expelled from Class for Lacking School Uniform

A video of a boy being expelled from class for not wearing a gray school uniform has sparked controversy on social media.

The video, shared by Tajik blogger “best_citi” on Instagram, features a father claiming that his son was removed from class due to not having the required gray suit and trousers. Within just five hours, the video garnered over 200,000 views, along with thousands of likes and comments.

In his video address, the father expresses his frustration over the expulsion of his son from “World Knowledge” class (the first lesson on September 1) for not wearing the specified school uniform.

“He was expelled from class for not having a gray suit and trousers,” he stated.

The blogger recalls that in the past, he attended school in regular pants and even in Adidas sneakers, yet he is now one of the top graphic designers in Tajikistan. He argues that even half of today’s students, who are dressed in school uniforms every day, lack adequate knowledge.

Continuing his video address, the father shows his sick daughter and discusses the difficult situation his family is facing. He mentions that he has to buy medicine for his ill daughter instead of purchasing the gray suit and trousers. The father also claims that the need to buy a specific uniform forces him to wait a month for his salary or even save for several months.

According to the man, while the needy family gathers money for the school uniform, children should not be deprived of the opportunity to learn. He emphasizes that not all families are in the same financial situation: some can afford to buy new uniforms, while others may have sick family members or people with disabilities, as well as more pressing expenses.

The father underscores that it is the teacher’s duty to engage students in learning, not to expel them from school for not wearing a specific type of clothing.

“A teacher should fight for the student with all their being, not expel them from school. Believe me, I was compelled to make this video. What should we do—stop sending our children to school altogether?” he questions.

He also notes that outside the school, he saw dozens of other students who were unable to attend class. When he asked them why they were not in lessons, they replied that they had been expelled for lacking the gray suit and trousers.

Many parents in the comments section of the video echoed the father’s sentiments.

“You said what millions of fathers wanted to say,” wrote one user.

Another user pointed out that schools are so strict about uniforms that they even nitpick students’ shoes and sometimes expel them for this reason.

“If only 10 percent of this attention were directed towards the level of education and quality of teaching,” commented another user.

Another user posed the question: “Does a gray suit and trousers help one learn better and gain more knowledge?”

They argued that if more attention were paid to education and culture rather than the color and style of uniforms, this issue would not be so contentious.

“Love for one’s homeland is not found in specific clothing, but in knowledge and quality education,” wrote yet another user.

Some noted that each year, the emphasis on a unified school uniform for all students increases, while less attention is given to the issue of students’ low knowledge levels.

At the same time, some users reminded others that the Minister of Education and Science had previously stated that parents should not be forced to buy school uniforms from specific vendors. However, this issue remains unresolved.

It is still unclear which school the incident occurred at and how the school’s administration or educational authorities have responded.

On August 11, the Ministry of Education and Science of Tajikistan announced on its official Facebook page that the issue of school uniforms should be addressed with consideration for the rights and interests of students and their parents, “without any coercion.”

The ministry reiterated that forcing students to purchase uniforms from a specific store, as well as selling uniforms on school grounds, is illegal.

The ministry also confirmed that involving teachers in the sale of school uniforms is prohibited under the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On the Status of Educators,” and that educational institutions’ leadership has no right to compel teachers to engage in such activities.

However, this statement from the Ministry of Education was met with sharp criticism from users on social media. Under this post on the Ministry’s Facebook page, users commented that such statements are repeated year after year, yet the situation remains unchanged in practice.