El Salvador is cracking down on school discipline. President Nayib Bukele has appointed former army captain, Karla Trigueros, as education minister. She has started inspecting schools wearing army fatigues. Ms Trigueros is also physician and was head of country's vaccination logistics during coronavirus pandemic. One of her first edicts was to require all school principals to become role models. School heads will be required to greet students as they come through school gates each morning. They will also scrutinize pupils' haircuts and uniforms. Trigueros warned schools that: "Failure to comply with these provisions...will be considered serious breach of administrative responsibility."
main focus of El Salvador's new education initiative is on appearance and conduct. In particular, boys are required to have closely-cropped, military-style haircuts, while all students must wear tidy uniforms and greet all teachers respectfully. There has been mixed reaction to new policy. A leading teachers' union called it "regrettable militarization" of schools. It was concerned that the country was veering back to days of military dictatorship. It said: "We are concerned that already [endemic] abuses of power against students will increase." However, many parents are supportive of new rules. One said: "That's how you straighten children out from young age."
