Haruna Iddrisu, the Education Minister, has shut down social media debate regarding Senior High School (SHS) students cutting their long hair before reporting to school.
The Education Minister boldly declared, they will not tolerate long hair today or tomorrow in SHS.
He highlighted that if long hairs are accepted in schools, tomorrow it will be shoes the next day the uniforms students wear in SHS.
Speaking to patrons of the 75th anniversary of Mawuli School in the Volta Region, Haruna Iddrisu stated, “There is an ongoing debate on social media about haircuts and the size and length of hair in secondary school.
We will not tolerate it today; we will not tolerate it tomorrow in so long as we are moulding character. If we give in to hair today, tomorrow it will be shoes, and the next day it will be the way they dress”.
He added, “Therefore, as part of our disciplinary measures, headmasters and GES, you are therefore empowered to take full control of how students behave on your campuses.
Anybody who thinks your child will walk into any institution of learning as if that child forgive my words—were to attend a beauty contest, the school environment is not for that purpose and is not cut for that purpose and will not tolerate that as an institution,” he stated.
His comments come following a video of a fresh student of the Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Senior High School, visibly distressed over being forced to cut her hair, which has ignited debate on social media.
In the viral video shared on X, the female student was visibly anguished as her hair was being cut as part of the SHS enrollment process in Ghana.
The video has left Ghanaians divided, with some calling for a review of Ghana’s long-standing policy that requires female students in public secondary schools to keep low-cut hair.
Some Ghanaians have, however, backed the school decision.
Leading the reactions, Ghanaian musician Adomaa stated, “I still don’t understand this. Had extremely long hair in boarding school in Nigeria (JHS), and every other Saturday, braiders would come to braid in a style the school had given. Imagine my shock coming to boarding school in Ghana (SHS) and I was told to cut it all off”.
Meanwhile, some other Ghanaians have reacted to the videos, saying, “We can’t stop this. So long as it’s a boarding school. Cos maintenance is a problem. You’d have to allow hair dryers, allow them to go out to braid, etc. Plus, you’d end up with clogged bathroom pipes. If you think about it, they just have to cut it off”.
Another X user added, “Why do we still do this sef? The people who told us cutting our hair makes us decent don’t cut theirs. Black people in their country don’t have to cut it either. IT’S HAIR!! How does it affect academics?”
One more Ghanaian stated, “She’s lucky the way she’s styled her hair, mine was just down cut lol. It’s hard I know but it’s for her own convenience, she will be okay”.
Additionally, another Ghanaian added, “Hmmmm, I feel bad for her, but don’t drag the institution. The institution has rules, in which if you want to join them you have to follow.
If you would drag anyone, drag her guardians for sending her there, not caring that she isn’t ok doing this.
Even dragging her guardians may also be wrong, because there is so much we don’t know”.
One netizen noted, “You can see the pain in her face, really. That haircut hits different, especially when it’s not your choice. Schools gotta understand that identity runs deeper than uniform rules sometimes”.
“Imagine being late for class or prep because you were busy styling your hair, or busy at the salon every weekend, cos you have to wash and maintain your hair. People forget that having a lot of hair comes with it’s own responsibilities. It’s just hair, it’ll grow back. No biggie”, one more Ghanaian added.
“The comments here about discrimination and all that are crazy. Do you guys understand why girls are always asked to cut their hair, except for medical reasons? The hair makes the girls look grown and mature, and that can attract men to them. That’s one reason”, a netizen added.
An X user added, “Rather than pursuing current priorities, women’s empowerment advocates should focus on addressing how high school policies are diminishing an important aspect of female identity. A straightforward fix, in this view, is to simply require standard braids for all girls in high school”.
One more Ghanaian wrote“Trimming hair for girls going to secondary school as boarders still makes sense, they’re there to study, not to spend every two weeks making their hair. It could be relaxed a bit for day students tho”
Watch the video below:
BREAKING:No Tolerance for Long Hair in Senior High Schools-Hon. Haruna Iddrisu
— Popo🇰🇼🇬🇭 (@Popony_J) October 25, 2025
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