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Guyanese Education Minister warns schools about hair discrimination

LoopNews

September 19, 2023 2:55 PM ET

2 mins read

Education Minister Priya Manickchand Tuesday warned schools about sending students home because of their hair style, saying those doing so will face disciplinary proceedings.

“I was clear enough IN WRITING. Children are NOT to be sent home for any breach or perceived breach of any school’s hairstyle rule. And any person so doing ( sending children home) will face disciplinary proceedings.

“Children are not to be sent home for any breach or perceived breach of any school’s hairstyle rule. And any person doing so (sending children home) will face disciplinary proceedings,” Manickchand wrote on her Facebook page.

The Ministry of Education has since issued a statement reminding schools that children should not be sent home because of their hairstyles.

“The Minister and Ministry have been clear on this issue: children are not to be sent home because of any breach or perceived breach of any hairstyle rule. Schools are reminded,” it said.

The statements follow a report posted on social media indicating that a South Ruimveldt Secondary School student had been sent home because of her hairstyle.

In January, the Ministry of Education issued a memorandum stating that learners must not be sent home over perceived hairstyle breaches. Head teachers were 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.

Further, the memo warned that in any instance of a learner being deemed to have an inappropriate hairstyle, the school must invite his or her parent or guardian to discuss the perceived infraction.

The Ministry of Education has said that it has no policy regulating hairstyles in schools; rules have been created by the schools themselves.