Supreme Court Ends Controversial Hair Regulation in Landmark Ruling
PUBLISHED : 5 Mar 2025 at 18:06
The Supreme Administrative Court has officially abolished a restrictive 50-year-old regulation from the Education Ministry that dictated students’ hairstyle choices.
In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, the court declared the regulation, initially established in 1975, unconstitutional, thus marking the conclusion of a protracted and contentious debate involving educators, students, and parents alike.
The court highlighted that the enforcement of this regulation infringed upon individual freedoms endorsed by the constitution and failed to align with contemporary societal values.
According to the court, the restrictive rule adversely affected students’ well-being and violated provisions under the Child Protection Act of 2003.
The regulation had stipulated specific hairstyles for male and female students in schools governed by the ministry; boys were prohibited from having beards or mustaches and were required to keep their hair short, while girls were required to maintain hair above their ears and refrain from wearing makeup.
Originally, the regulation aimed to cultivate a standardized image of good behavior among students in accordance with the expectations of parents and educators.
This directive stemmed from an earlier mandate issued by a military junta in 1972 concerning acceptable student hairstyles.
“The military regime’s order and the contested ministry regulation cannot be viewed as beneficial to the students in any capacity,” stated the court.
This ruling signifies a major victory for 23 students who initiated a petition to repeal the 1975 regulation back in 2020.
Since 2024, the ministry had started permitting some leniency regarding student hairstyles and dress codes, and the court’s decision now allows individual schools to set their own standards. Some institutions may delegate the matter to parents, while others may defer to a collective decision made by school administrators and parents.
Even with the court’s ruling effectively closing the matter, opinions remain divided, as some voices expressed dissatisfaction, indicating that certain educators still impose restrictions on students with longer hairstyles.
Comments on social media reflect ongoing concerns that outdated practices may persist without enforced consequences. Certain posts criticized the education system’s emphasis on rigid uniformity rather than equipping students with essential skills for future success in a global economy.
This landmark ruling emphasizes the need for reform in educational standards, urging a greater focus on student rights and individual expression.
