ST JAMES, Jamaica — The Ministry of Education has released new national grooming policy guidelines for public schools.

The new guidelines dubbed, “National Students Dress and Grooming Guidance for Public Education Institutions” was made public on Wednesday by Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid during his address of the Jamaica Teachers Association 54th annual conference 2018 held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa in St James.

Reid said the objectives of the new guidelines are to:

• Ensure that all public education institutions (PEls) have documented student dress codes in keeping with the national policy guidelines;

• Increase levels of participation of stakeholders, especially students, in the development and revision of student dress codes;

• Increase public awareness of the importance of having a documented student dress code, and; • Increase compliance with student dress codes.

The guidelines for females are as follows:

Clean neatly maintained hair. Hair may be worn in pack, braids, twist of locks that are evenly spaced; hair accessories shall be pinned in conspicuous and school colour with no more than two colours worn at any time. Hair should remain in its natural colour; no fashion trends, shave sides, visible lines or patterns; no styles associated with gangs, antisocial cliques or groups; no wigs or hair extensions; no bleached or dye hair; eyebrows shall not be shaved or have any visible lines or patterns.

Guidelines for males:

Clean neatly maintained hair; shall be kept in a conventional low cut that is evenly graded around the head with the length kept close to the scalp. Alternatively, hair shall be groomed to conform with the conventional standard of an even profile appearing close to the head. As a result, hair shall either be worn in a low evenly graded cut or in a style that is close to the head, away from the face ears and eyes and secured. If long enough at the base of the neck, hair intervenient length that cannot conform with such requirements must be covered at all times with approved headwear.

Hair shall remain in its natural texture and colour; no hairstyle affiliated with gangs, antisocial cliques or groups; no chemical processed style, bleached or dye hair; eyebrows shall not be shaved or have any visible lines or patterns; no beards, moustache, or sideburn allowed and students with facial hair should be clean shaved.

Anthony Lewis