IN what can best be described as a monumental decision, the Ministry of Education on Thursday announced that students and pupils across Guyana can no longer to be suspended or sent home for the way they wear their hair.

The Ministry issued a ‘memo’ on the subject following months of consultations and discussion with stakeholders.

“In keeping with the guidelines provided in the Ministry of Education’s Manual of Guidelines for the Maintenance of Order and Discipline in Schools, learners must not be sent home or suspended, denied entry to school or access to teaching and learning, sent to the Department of Education, administered corporal punishment or any other forms of punishment for having a hairstyle that is perceived to be a breach of the school’s rule,” the ‘memo’ reads.

Further, the ‘memo’ says, “Head teachers are reminded that their main priority is to ensure all learners are in school, and are being taught with the aim of reducing any further learning loss.”

The ‘memo’ also states that should a student’s hairstyle be deemed inappropriate, further discussion must be held with his or her parents or guardians.

In 2022, Education Minister Priya Manickhand had announced plans to overhaul school rules that disproportionately affect learners, based on gender and ethnicity.

This decision was made by the ministry after sections of the public bemoaned a “hairstyle memo” issued by the Ministry of Education, granting a “one-day permission” for the relaxing of hair rules to allow for females to wear their hair as they desire on International Women’s Day.

Since then, the Education Ministry has been actively engaging learners, parents, teachers, and members of the public to decide on an appropriate and acceptable solution to this issue.

On March 11, the ministry launched an Online survey to record the opinion of stakeholders on current policies that govern hairstyles in the public school system.

Some 4000 persons had participated in that survey.