Dubai: With the start of the second week of the 2026-2027 academic year, the administrations of a number of public and private schools have tightened controls on the general appearance, behaviour and nutrition of students, and have banned ‘qaza’ haircuts (where a part of the head is shaved with a razor or blade while another part is left long), long hair for students in all their forms, as well as wearing hoodies inside the school premises. They have also banned bringing tea, coffee, soft drinks, energy drinks and chips of all kinds, warning of taking disciplinary measures against violators.In circulars and letters addressed to students and parents, the administrations specified key prohibitions, stressing that the instructions apply from the moment the student enters the school gate. Students are not allowed to bring in prohibited food items and drinks or consume them inside the school premises.The circulars explained that tightening the controls aims to unify the school appearance, reduce behaviours that violate educational values, and establish an organised educational environment that preserves the identity of the school and the values of society, in addition to regulating school nutrition. Schools noted that a decent appearance is not a formal matter, but rather a practical translation of the student’s respect for himself, his teachers and his colleagues, and his ability to bear responsibility.The schools stressed that finding any of the prohibited food items and drinks in a student’s possession is a violation that requires immediate confiscation and official documentation of the incident, before applying the code of conduct and deducting grades prescribed for the violation, which goes beyond merely preventing the student from consuming them. Meanwhile, they called on students to adhere to the nutrition provided by the approved service provider in the school canteen.The schools linked the appearance and behaviour controls to the characteristics of the Emirati student that the educational system aims to instil, foremost among them being pride in national identity and authentic values, respect for teachers and members of the school community, responsibility and discipline in behaviour, as well as seeking knowledge and striving for excellence and creativity.
