Education Minister Cracks Down on Student Hairdos in Schools
Ho,Volta Region – October 25,2025 - Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has declared a ban on certain hairstyles and long hair in schools, sparking a heated debate among students, parents, and educators. The Minister's pronouncement is aimed at promoting discipline and decent grooming standards in schools.
Speaking at the 75th Anniversary celebrations of Mawuli School, the Minister emphasized that schools are institutions of learning and character development, not platforms for students to express themselves through fashion or engage in disorderly conduct.
According to the Minister, the ban is necessary to prevent students from distracting themselves and others with elaborate hairstyles, which are becoming increasingly popular in schools. He argued that schools are institutions of learning, not fashion shows, and that students should focus on their studies rather than their hair.
“There is an ongoing debate on social media about haircuts and size and lengths of hair in Secondary Schools. We’ll not tolerate today, we’ll not tolerate it tomorrow, in so long as we are moulding character. If we give in to hair today, tomorrow it will be shoes and the next day it will be the way they dress.
Therefore as part of our disciplinary measures, Headmasters and GES you’re accordingly empowered to take full control of how students behave on your campuses. So anybody who thinks that your child will walk into any institution of learning, as if that Child was to attend a beauty contest, the school environment is not for that purpose and not cut for that purpose and will not tolerate that as an institution,” he said.
The ban, which takes effect immediately, prohibits students from having certain hairstyles, including dreadlocks, braids, and extensions. Male students are also barred from having long hair, which the Minister described as "unruly" and "unacceptable".
The Minister's decision has been welcomed by some parents and educators who believe that it will help to promote discipline and decent grooming standards in schools. They argue that students who are allowed to have elaborate hairstyles are more likely to be distracted and less focused on their studies.
However, not everyone is pleased with the Minister's decision. Some students and civil society organizations have expressed concerns that the ban infringes on students' rights to freedom of expression and autonomy. They argue that students should be allowed to express themselves through their hairstyles, as long as they do not disrupt the learning environment.
Source – Lead News Online/Leticia Okpoti
