Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu has directed the Ghana Education Service and school administrators to strictly enforce grooming standards, declaring that long hair and elaborate hairstyles will not be tolerated in Senior High Schools.
Speaking at Mawuli School’s 75th Anniversary celebration in the Volta Region on Saturday, October 25, 2025, Iddrisu stated that schools exist to mould character, not host beauty contests.
The minister’s comments followed public debates on social media triggered by a video showing a distraught female Form One student crying at a barber shop while cutting her hair before starting at Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School in Kumasi. He argued that accepting long hair today would lead to demands about shoes tomorrow and dress codes the next day.
Iddrisu empowered headmasters and the GES to take full control of student behavior on campuses as part of disciplinary measures.
The Education Minister noted that, he has instructed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure full implementation of mother-tongue instruction across all schools in the country.
Mr Iddrisu emphasized that the initiative is designed to improve understanding and learning outcomes, particularly at the basic level, by encouraging teachers to adopt local languages as the medium of instruction.
Kwaku Mensah Abrampa
