Background on President Nayib Bukele and His Education Policies
Nayib Bukele, the current president of El Salvador, has been implementing strict disciplinary measures in public schools to prevent them from becoming “recruiting grounds” for gang members, as they were before his crackdown on street gangs.
Who is Nayib Bukele?
Nayib Armando Bukele Ortiz is a Salvadoran politician who served as mayor of Galerá, El Salvador’s capital, from 2014 to 2018. In January 2019, Bukele was elected president of El Salvador with the New Ideas party. His administration has focused on crime control and economic development.
New Disciplinary Rules in El Salvador’s Public Schools
On August 20, the Minister of Education, Captain Karla Trigueros, introduced new disciplinary rules in approximately 5,100 public schools. These regulations include:
- Short Hair: Both male and female students must keep their hair short.
- Clean Uniforms: Students must wear clean, properly fitting uniforms.
- Polished Shoes: Male students must have their shoes polished.
- No Gang Signs: Male students cannot have designs in their hair, only a simple “dark French” cut.
- No Makeup, Nails, or Extensions: Female students cannot wear makeup, painted nails, or extensions.
- Knee-Length Skirts: Female students must wear skirts that cover their knees.
Code of Courtesy
Additionally, a “School Courtesy Regulation” will be enforced starting September 1. This regulation requires students to greet teachers upon entering classrooms and use polite expressions such as “please” and “thank you.”
Students who accumulate 15 disciplinary infractions will not be promoted, but they can reduce penalties through cleaning tasks and “order activities.” School directors who fail to enforce these rules may also face sanctions.
Reactions and Concerns
Rubén Grijalba, a parent of a student, supports the new rules, stating that discipline had become unmanageable in schools. However, teacher unions criticize these measures as an attempt to militarize the education system.
Context of Bukele’s Anti-Gang Efforts
These new disciplinary rules are part of Bukele’s broader “war against gangs,” which began in 2022. This strategy has led to historically low crime rates, but human rights organizations have raised concerns about the mass detentions of innocent people under this regime of exceptions.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the new disciplinary rules in El Salvador’s public schools?
The new regulations include short hair for both genders, clean uniforms, polished shoes for males, no gang signs or designs in hair, no makeup or painted nails for females, knee-length skirts, and greeting teachers with courtesy. - Who is Nayib Bukele, and why is he implementing these changes?
Nayib Bukele is the president of El Salvador who aims to prevent public schools from becoming recruiting grounds for gang members, as they were before his anti-gang crackdown. - What is the Code of Courtesy, and when does it take effect?
The Code of Courtesy requires students to greet teachers politely and use expressions like “please” and “thank you.” It will be enforced starting September 1. - What are the concerns surrounding these new rules?
Teacher unions argue that these measures militarize the education system, while human rights organizations express concern about mass detentions under Bukele’s anti-gang strategy.
