“We Will Not Tolerate Long Hair in SHS”: Haruna Iddrisu Addresses Haircut Debate

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The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has emphasised that the government will not allow students in SHS to go to school with long hair
Haruna Iddrisu’s comment comes after the social media arguement for a change in the rules on hair came up
The Minister said that as long as they are moulding the character of the students, they would only allow for short hair

Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, has reiterated that students who attend public Senior High Schools are mandated to keep short hair.

The Minister said that they would not tolerate long hair in any public Senior High School as long as the characters of the students are being moulded.

Haruna Iddrisu, Minister of Education, long hair, SHS, Short hair, Haircut for SHS — Haruna Iddrisu addresses hair SHS hair length brouhaha.
Photo credit: Haruna Iddrisu
Source: Facebook

Haruna Iddrisu was speaking at the 75th anniversary climax of Mawuli School in Ho, Volta Region on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

In his address to those present at the anniversary, Haruna Iddrisu said:

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“We will not tolerate long hair in Senior High School as long as we are moulding character. There’s an ongoing debate about haircuts on social media concerning the size and length of hair in Secondary Schools. We will not tolerate it today, we will not tolerate it tomorrow, and so long as we are moulding character.”

The Minister argued that accepting for students to come to school with any hair length and style will allow others to make other demands.

“If we give in to hair today, tomorrow it will be shoes and the next day it will be the way they dress.”

He said the Ghana Education Service and headmasters have the full authority to implement disciplinary measures against students who flout the rules.

“Therefore, as part of our disciplinary measures, headmasters and GES, you are accordingly empowered to take full control of how students behave on your campuses. Therefore, anybody who thinks that your child will walk into any institution of learning as if that child was to attend a beauty contest, the school environment is not for that purpose and not cut for that purpose and would not tolerate that as an institution.”

Reactions on Haruna Iddrisu’s directive

YEN.com.gh collated some reactions to the video shared by @popony_j on X. Read them below:

@realbenaggor said:

“Between 2021 and 2023, Ghana spent over $250 million importing wigs and hair extensions. Does Haruna Iddrisu realise this? If that doesn’t alarm him and challenge this outdated idea that long hair is ‘immoral’, leading to cutting girls’ hair then we are in trouble.”

@roneyblue wrote:

@I agree with the minister. Keeping female students’ hair short has nothing to do with culture being archaic or forcing discipline but rather it’s about practicality. In boarding schools, maintaining hair takes time and money. Long hair would eat into valuable study hours and add to the already high cost parents bear. Keeping hair low also promotes uniformity and prevents envy or class divides within the school community. Comparing Ghana to first-world countries is naïve as over there, boarding schools are usually meant for the wealthy, with in-house salons and stylists. That’s not our reality. Sometimes, we need to stop overthinking everything. Not all our traditions are backward, some were actually built on logic and experience and have served us well.”