Some schools more lenient than others over what 'casual' is
People in heavy winter clothing at Hong Kong airport showed the need for students to wear more, too. Students whose schools have strict dress codes seem out in the cold during the coldest February the city has seen in the past 18 years.
Young Post received complaints yesterday from several students, who said their schools forbade them to wear thicker yet casual clothing.
Overnight temperatures in Ta Kwu Ling plunged to 4 degrees Celsius, and in Sheung Shui to 5.7.
A student, who did not want to reveal his name, said his school, YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College, had banned all forms of casual wear. "I was cold to my bum on my way to school on Monday as the weather changed quite unexpectedly," he said.
"The school management wasn't helpful, and instead asked us to take off our jackets on school premises, terming them as casual wear."
School officials responded, saying uniforms had taken a variety of looks, including a thick mid-length coat and a blazer, both equipped with fleece, as students tried to keep warm.
The coat, at HK$450, is considered reasonable, and girls are allowed to wear school pants, instead of normal skirts. Extra sweaters are available at the school office upon request.
Other schools are allowing students to wear thicker outer layers in selected colours.
A student who attends Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School said their school gave way to jackets in black and brown. But he said many students complained about having to buy clothes in the "proper" colours purely for that purpose.
Other schools, such as Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College, offered students warm drinks to get things going. "In chemistry class, not only did the drinks help us concentrate, but we also learned [how to measure] the concentration of Ovaltine in the water," Joy Pamnani said.
Chris Lau, Joyee Chan