KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 15 — Students who will be sitting for their SPM and STPM examinations later this year will be allowed to sit for them even if they have long hair, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said that this is because barbershops and salons will be closed during the movement control order (MCO) period, hence students will not be able to get their hair cut short, as per school regulations.
“We have discussed the issue with the education ministry and they have agreed to allow students to sit for SPM and STPM exams, even if they have long hair — without any repercussions from teachers,” he said in a press conference today.
Ismail added that barbershops and salons will remain closed throughout the MCO and will review the option to let them reopen every two weeks.
“Before this, when we announced the barbershops and salons could reopen, everyone was up in arms because physical contact is inevitable and there had been a case of a Pakistani barber who was Covid-19 positive spreading the virus,” he said.
He added that the hair industry was one of the last sectors to be reopened during the previous MCO, and that the health ministry will advise them on whether they can allow the sector to operate either with stricter SOPs or enforcement.
