6 Pointless School Rules That Are Just Meant to be Broken
Some school rules are necessary while others are just… not. Let’s take a look at some of the pointless rules that you’ve definitely crossed before!
Published 20 Nov 2020
Do you remember sitting through dreadful Monday morning spot-checks where prefects would do rounds to check the length of your nails or the height of your socks to see if they meet the school’s rules and regulations?
While school rules are necessary as it helps to establish a healthy order in school and to instil discipline among students, there are just some rules that are totally unnecessary.
Let’s do a little bit of a #throwbackthursday and take a look at some of the pointless school rules we had to just follow (and break).
#1. Needing to change back into your uniform after PJ class
Being able to wear your Pendidikan Jasmani (physical education) attire to school is probably the most liberating feeling — no ties, tucked in shirts and uncomfortable skirts.
But your gleeful moments are cut short when you have to change your sweaty sports attire back to your school uniform to prepare you for the next class. What’s worse is that you’re only given 15 minutes to change.
#2. The “No Gum” Rule
According to science, chewing gum can help you stay focused for long periods and even improve your concentration when doing visual tasks. Which means chewing gum can totally save your last 3 classes, right? Wrong.
Apparently, chewing gum is not allowed on school grounds because it’s considered to be rude and distracting — especially when you’re chewing while a lesson is ongoing. Consider them the contraband item for schools. But somehow you can still find icky litter of chewed gum stuck under your sole or underneath your desk (gross).
#3. You’re not allowed to fold your sleeves
Simply put, you can’t fold your sleeves be it your baju kurung, your long sleeved PJ shirts and even the hem of your pants.
While looking prim and proper throughout is what the school is striving for, the blistering Malaysian heat is telling you otherwise. The least you could do is air out your arms. However, this is one rule that’s meant to be broken at some point. You’ll have your sleeves up during classes and after school but slide them down during recess when the sharks (i.e pengawas and cikgu disiplin) are roaming the halls.
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Explore Now >#4. Your hair needs to be neat at all times
They say that your hair is your crowning glory. Unfortunately, if you go to a Malaysian school, you don’t have much power or say to what goes on with your crown.
Boys are not allowed to have long hair and this includes hair falling below the earlobes, covering more than half of the forehead or covering both ears fully or partially. Not to mention if their sideburns reach beyond the halfway mark of their nose.
If you’ve been guilty for any of this, then you probably have had free haircut sessions during assembly. This public punishment is embarrassing but on the bright side — it’s free!
What’s crazier is that some schools have rules where girls aren’t allowed to keep their hair short (think short boy cuts) as it resembles masculinity while others prohibit girls from having long hair to prevent lice (say what?).
#5. No coloured hair ties
This one’s for the ladies who had to say goodbye to their only way of looking fashionable in school. Students are not allowed to wear coloured hair ties and must only stick to black, blue and white (and at times, only black for some schools).
It’s not clear as to why this rule is implemented but one thing is for sure, this strict rule calls for you to rush to the canteen and asking the kakak for a yellow rubber band when your one and only thin black hair tie snaps. Prepare to lose some of your hair when you try to yank it out!
Note: Some schools require the girls to wear hair ribbons no bigger than 5cm in diameter. Which means the ribbon’s size can’t be too big nor too small (what?). Can you imagine needing to bring a measuring tape every time you’re doing back-to-school shopping?
#6. Only white soled shoes are allowed
You’ve probably heard that your shoes can’t have coloured soles and doubled lines on the sides of its soles (whether it’s blue, black or red).
We’re talking about every student’s go-to Bata North Star school shoes that unfortunately presents a double line on the side of the soles. But that doesn’t stop them from rocking the high tops and low cuts — North Star is basically a budget version of the Converse Chuck Taylor, okay!
Who knew that two lines would have such an impact on the student’s learning experience? If your school doesn’t impose such rules, consider yourself lucky!
Despite all these unnecessary rules that have gotten you in trouble once or twice, there’s no doubt that these are what made your school life memorable. Does your school have weird and pointless rules too? Share with us in the comments below!
Let’s take one step back in time, relish the good old days of high school and why you won’t miss it as much!
Nina Fazil
A work in progress — has been for the past 24 years.
