Although the Ministry of Education has relaxed regulations on students' attire and grooming, over 80 percent of schools are now reported in violation of the new regulation, by not allowing students to wear thermal clothing or additional clothing.
The Ministry of Education revised regulations on attire and grooming in August 2020 to allow students to wear thermal clothing inside and outside of their school uniforms. The Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy and a Facebook site called "Taiwan Freedom News" recently conducted a survey on the thermal clothing situation at the high school level and below. They received 1,438 responses from students representing 853 schools in one day. The results showed that 84.3 percent of schools are in violation of the new regulation, while 54 percent of schools don't allow any type of outer garment and 30 percent require the temperature to be below a certain level before the garments can be worn. It was also found that there are numerous rules on hoodies, scarves, and clothing color. Many schools are illegally punishing students with warnings or school chores.
A common punishments is school chores. There are also schools with point systems for classes, and they may deduct points for social order or tidiness.
Although the MOE has called on schools to be flexible, many schools don't allow students to wear additional clothing unless the temperature falls under 10 degrees Celsius. Other schools have set the standard at 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. The K-12 Administration says it will learn more about the survey results, and schools will receive administrative guidance if they ban garments. If schools violate regulations, this will be reflected in principal evaluations for public schools and in subsidies for private schools.
Students are of course allowed to wear extra clothing if it's really cold according to the regulations. The ministry will step in if schools don't comply.
The association said the survey showed more than half of the schools don't understand the new regulations. On Jan. 15, the K-12 Administration sent a notice to all local education departments to check up on schools and require schools to make improvements if they are in violation. They are also required to set up a channel to handle complaints.
天冷時，保暖衣物要穿在校服內還外，按服儀新規，學生可自行決定！但台灣青年民主協會與臉書專頁＂台灣也有一個騰訊合作＂，進行高中以下禦寒衣物外穿調查，一天內有1438名學生填寫，分布全台853間學校，發現84.3%違反教育部規定，54%完全不開放外穿 ，30%設溫度限制，此外，帽 T、圍巾穿戴及顏色規定限制多，許多學校仍違法記警告、罰愛校服務。
台灣青年民主協會副理事長 林彥廷表示：「比較常見的幾個方式，分別有這個勞動服務，有學校進行集點，或者是將團體的秩序分數，或者是整潔分數，用團體的方式來做扣分。」
青民協以溫度限制為例，雖然教育部呼籲不要那麼僵化，較多學校仍以攝氏10度以下為標準，也有部分規定11到15度。國教署回應，將對調查再行了解，強調學校若仍禁止，會有相關行政指導，若違法，公校校長列考核，私校影響獎補助。
國教署學務校安組長 林良慶表示：「他當然可以，依照規定就可以。很冷(外穿)，部裡面一定會處理的。」
青民協按統計推測，至今仍有過半數學校，不理會服儀新規定！國教署15日正式發文各地方教育局，要求學校檢視規定，若違反要修正，並且儘速建立申訴管道。