Parents upset over hairstyle ruling
Published on: Saturday, April 15, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: Schools are allowed to come up with additional rules on discipline, apart from those stipulated in the Education Ordinance and Act, according to the Education Department's Head of Humanity Development Sector, Datu Jamigul. "However, any proposal has to be checked by the department before approval can be given for implementation," he said.Jamigul was asked whether schools have the liberty to make rules on students' hair length such that girls should not have "too short' hair which appears like boy's hair. The Buku Disiplin (Book on Discipline) states that girls are encouraged to tie their hair if it is long.
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While stressing that funky or fashionable hairstyles are prohibited in schools, he does not see any problem in sporting short hair. "Times have changed. Nowadays, we emphasise students' self-confidence, among other positive attributes, and if short hair makes a student feel self-confident, then so be it. What is the problem?" he asked.Jamigul said his Sector may investigate whether the hair rules set by the school concerned have been endorsed by the Education Department. "If not, the principal may be called up for questioning," he added.
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Concerned parents who have daughters studying in a Convent Secondary School at Jalan Kebajikan, here, are confused and angry over a ruling implemented early this year by the school authority.The parents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said their children were being discriminated against for sporting short hair. According to them, the school authority disallows students cutting their hair short as it makes them appear to be "sporting boy's hairstyle."
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"What is infuriating is that our children are being barred from participating or representing the school in any sporting or stage events. We also learned that students with short hair were instructed by the disciplinary teacher to go on stage to serve as a warning to other students," they claimed.The concerned parents said their children are very disappointed, embarrassed and demotivated by the actions taken by the school administration.While conceding that hairstyles such as Punk, Crew Cut, Skin Cut or coloured hairdo should not be allowed in any schools, the parents felt that a decent short hairstyle should be acceptable and not looked at as a disciplinary issue. "The school administration must not be judgemental over this matter, and instead allow female students to decide on their own as long as they maintain a decent and appropriate hair length be it long or short," they said. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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