Hair Policy Shift in Schools
Dian Maheia
Some are of the opinion that the rules regarding hair is archaic, while others argue that it is about discipline. The C.E.O. in the Ministry of Education says that there are more deep-seated issues that need to be addressed. Maheia says that this arbitrary issue is one of many that are not unique to Bishop Martin High School. The hope is that all school managements take note of the message being sent by the Ministry of Education.
Dian Maheia, C.E.O., Ministry of Education
“There is a clear message that we have sent to school – to this school and all others – because while you did highlight one situation yesterday, the reality is that this sort of thing has been happening in other schools as well. And we need to remind administrators of the need to use their discernment, to be practical and to think. We are not encouraging undisciplined behaviour. We are not encouraging people to be extreme or to break rules or to do things that are in any way impediments to their health and safety. What we are doing is that we are asking people to be mindful of the constitution and to be mindful of what is really important. Let’s get back to school, let’s focus on positive learning environments and let’s really try to build constructive academic year, positive experiences for this academic year. The alternative would have been to address school by school, management by management, district by district. We have district education centers who are obviously extensions; they are a part of our ministry and they work with these individual schools as well. Our choice was not to go school by school, management by management because we are aware that while – as I said you, highlighted one school yesterday, but there are other schools too. And this has been happening. Schools have been open a week and a half and it’s been happening. So the idea here is to make that blanket statement. What we do now is as we go on, we’ve said it to everyone and we go on. And where we need to now focus attention more to the schools where I understand that already there have been schools reaching out to say it is okay; this is okay.”
