The Effect of Dress Code on Students in Nigeria Education Sector

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Indecent dressing has become the order of the day in most higher institutions of learning. It is a state of being improperly dressed with the aim to seduce or draw unnecessary attention to one’s person. Omode’s exposition emphasizes this that “indecent appearance has come to characterize the dress pattern of many students in campus of higher learning in Nigeria” (2011: pg 4), there is hardly any institution of higher learning in this country that is not being plagued with this nauseating problem. The manner of dressing adopted by these students especially the female ones leave much to be desired. The skimpy and tight fitted nature of these dresses reveals the story state of moral decadence among our students in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri. These dresses besides being stumpy and tight are also transparent and as a result revealing certain parts of the bodies that should have been covered under normal dressing pattern.

Girls are not only people guilty of indecent dressing boys are also guilty of putting on dirty and unkempt hairs and dirty jeans having pockets of holes deliberately created around the knees and lower part of the trousers also the waist of these trouser are lowered and fastened tightly at the middle of the two bottoms to reveal their boxers (pants) and when they are walking they drag their legs and one of their hands particularly, the left one cupping their invisible scrotum as if they will fall to the ground if not supposed. Many of them because of how they dressed at one time or the other become victims of rapes, lured into prostitution, used for ritual purposes, unable to complete their education or training and also engaged in other auxiliary social and moral problems like cultism’s and lying to mention these few. Although there are not known universally acceptable way or ways of dressing dresses are meant to serve some definable purpose, country or region notwithstanding.

They are part of the peoples’ culture and they are defined in their tribal or ethnic identity. Apart from dresses being a means for culture identity they are for ornamental or aesthetic purposes for protection of the body against harsh weather condition as well as covering the intimate part of the body. Those purposes are important especially as they form major aspects of a person’s personality. But as important as those purpose are they have been defeated by the Nigeria youths, their dress pattern are most time anti-African dress pattern invented. They usually dress in a manner that does not show especially that of Nigerian encourages modesty in appearance as do the Christian and Islamic religion where the larger population of these Youth claims to be worshiping God. This un-African dress pattern among the youths of this generation has generated a lot of concern and worry among the citizenry of the country. Religion institutions as well as institution of learning are not resting on their bars to watch this moral act being perpetuated but they speak against it. For instance Olori (2003: pg 7) reported that “at the University of Abuja rules were made that ’’any dress worn must cover intimate part of the body must not expose the breast stomach novel and bare chest’’. But on this Campus student still dress indecently.

In the same vein in Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education Owerri, where this study is focused, it seams that the introduction of a dress code was misinterpreted by the students to mean the should dress indecently. This is because what became obvious with students in this college after the introduction of this dress code was the alarming and arrant ways that they begin to dress indecently. One is not however surprised because what is typically of most Nigerian administrators is always a wide gap between policy and formulation and execution. Indecent even though is not accepted as the normally it seem to be gaining ascendancy. One wonders what becomes of the society tomorrow with the caliber of student that are being trained.

If rules are made for people, they are supposed to be adequately informed why such rules are made. It is for this very reason this project attempts to counsel student about the cause, effect of indecent dressing as well as suggestion of solutions that could remedy the further spread of this immoral act on campuses of learning in Nigeria.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

The statement of the problem of this research shows that indecent dressing is not just a behavior that developed overnight but an accumulated behavioural pattern that could be attributed to the home due to neglect and/or poor parenting.

The effect of globalization arising from wrong value of exportation and importation, reflection of high rate of moral decadence in the large society (corruption and the led), peer pressure and the desire to belong as well as fading values and demonic influence all contribute to the act of indecent dressing.

1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main motive for this study is to investigate the effects of dressing in the Nigerian education sector. Indecent dressing in higher institution of learning emphasize on Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education in Owerri Municipal Local Government Area of Imo State. This study is to find out whether students of higher learning can still dress decently.

This study intends to find out possible solution to indecent dressing in the Nigerian educational sector. Many teachers administrators, security personnel, counselors are worried when it comes to evaluating indecent dressing.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Parents, school administrators, society leader are some of the important factor that contributes to the indecent dressing of student’s in higher institutions of learning. It is hoped that this study will identify some of the vital factors existing in the various levels and what influences students indecent dressing.

The result of the study will be of immense important to all and sundry particularly educational administrators. Teachers and others who may be interested in the welfare, progress, educational upliftment and advancement of student’s. The study will bring into focus the need for government to incorporate parents in planning the progress and upliftment of the student’s.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the effect of indecent dressing in the Nigerian educational sector using the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education as a case study.

1.6 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

For valid conclusion to be drawn in this study the following research questions have been formulated to serve as a guide in the conduct of the investigation.

1. Does poor parenting have any impact on indecent dressing of the students in higher institutions of learning?
2. Does peer pressure have any impact on indecent dressing of student’s in higher institution of learning in Nigeria?
3. Does society have any impact in indecent dressing of the students in higher institution of learning?
4. Does educational sector have any impact in indecent dressing of the student’s in higher institutions of learning?
5. Does culture have any impact in indecent dressing of the students in higher institutions of learning?

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