A student in uniform walks on a street in Jilin, Northeast China's Jilin province, in this file photo. The school uniforms for Chinese students have been criticized as dull and baggy. [Photo by Zhu Wanchang/Asianewsphoto]

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Education (MOE) on Monday issued a regulation on the manufacture and use of primary and secondary school uniforms.

Manufacturers of school uniforms should follow national standards on clothing quality, and schools must make sure the purchasing process is transparent, and open to public scrutiny.

Although the MOE advocated that students should wear uniform, and free uniforms should be provided for those from poor backgrounds, it stipulated that schools should consult with parents on whether students should be required to wear the same clothes in school.

Other administrative organs, such as the industrial and commercial bureau, will also supervise manufacturing and purchasing to guarantee the quality of uniforms.

The public has been grumbling about the quality and design of school uniforms, as most of them are dull and baggy.

The MOE suggested that designers should be encouraged to produce styles that are more pleasing to the younger generation.

Quality is another concern. In 2013, only 73 percent of school uniforms under selective examination in Shanghai were safe. Some were found to contain cancerogenic toxins.

The MOE vowed its will to punish illegal school uniform manufacturers and dealers.