Court rejects judicial review to ban schools from requiring girls to wear skirts in winter

A former student of CCC Kei Chi Secondary School filed for a judicial review in June to challenge the practice of local schools mandating female students to wear skirts during winter, claiming the requirement has a detrimental impact on the student's health and reflects gender discrimination.

Judge Russell Coleman of the High Court today (Oct 8) declined to grant permission for the judicial review, stating that the applicant is no longer a student and, therefore, lacks the standing to bring the case.

He also noted that the student handbook clearly states that female students may wear long pants when cold weather warnings are in effect.

Coleman explained that the applicant, surnamed Yuen and graduated from the school in 2018, is no longer eligible to file the review. Yuen argued that younger students usually don't question such rules. The judge noted that her claims lacked merit. 

The Education Bureau stated that individual schools set uniform policies and had not received any complaints about the dress code. 

CCC Kei Chi Secondary School also added that students can suggest changes to rules through forums and parent associations. 

Coleman ultimately concluded that the rule was not adopted by mainstream Hong Kong schools, leading to the rejection of her judicial review application.