Rang’ala Girls Abolishes Mandatory Hair Shaving as Students Celebrate Policy Shift

Students at Rang’ala Girls National School in Siaya county erupted in jubilation on Friday after the administration abolished the long standing policy requiring learners to maintain closely shaved hair.

The announcement made during a morning assembly by Chief Principal Susan Owino ended one of the institution’s most distinctive traditions.

Owino, herself an alumna of the school,⁸ informed students that they would be allowed to grow and plait their hair beginning after the upcoming half-term break.

The declaration was met with loud cheers and celebrations from students, many of whom said the change would align the school with practices adopted by most girls’ secondary schools across the country.

The school has for years stood apart from many institutions in Siaya County and beyond by enforcing a mandatory hair-shaving policy. 

While the rule had become synonymous with the school’s identity, it had also sparked comparisons with schools where students are permitted to keep and style their hair.

The decision comes amid growing national debate over school grooming regulations, with discussions intensifying in recent months over policies that require students to shave their hair while in school. 

A petition seeking a review of such regulations is currently before Parliament.

Addressing the students, Owino said the new policy would go hand in hand with a commitment to personal hygiene and discipline.

“We will start keeping our hair and allow it to grow long enough to be plaited from the half-term break,” she said.

However, she cautioned learners against neglecting grooming standards.”And remember, if you do not keep your hair well, the punishment will be shaving. Are we together?” she asked, drawing an enthusiastic response from the students.

The policy shift marks another milestone for a school that has increasingly distinguished itself in academic circles.

Last year, Rang’ala Girls performed what many education stakeholders described as a giant-killing feat by eclipsing several well established learning institutions in the region during the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.

The school posted an impressive mean score of 9.6, a performance that continues to puzzle education stakeholders and members of the learning fraternity.

Even more remarkable was the school’s unprecedented 100 percent transition rate to university.

All 736 candidates who sat the examinations attained a grade of C+ and above, setting what education observers described as a historic academic record since the inception of the 8-4-4 education system.

According to Owino, while the school has consistently registered strong academic results, it had never before achieved a complete university transition rate.

“We have always posted good mean scores, but achieving a hundred percent transition to university was a major milestone for the institution,” she said.

The principal attributed the exceptional performance to discipline, teamwork and a strong academic culture among the candidates.

She said the students demonstrated rare commitment in the run-up to the national examinations, working collaboratively in discussion groups and maintaining continuous academic engagements throughout the examination period.

“The candidates were extremely disciplined and embraced group discussions consistently. Their commitment and teamwork greatly contributed to the excellent results,” she said.Buoyed by the achievement, the school has now set its sights even higher.

Owino said the institution is targeting a mean score of 10.5 in future examinations, expressing confidence that the current crop of students is capable of attaining the ambitious goal.

Friday’s celebrations were further boosted by the arrival of a new school bus, expected to ease transport challenges that have affected students and staff for years.

The bus was acquired through funding from the Ugunja National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) with support from Ugunja MP Moses Omondi.

Signage on the vehicle indicated that it was fully financed through the constituency’s allocation for the 2025/2026 financial year.

In a statement shared on Facebook, the school expressed gratitude for the support, saying the new bus would significantly improve mobility for students participating in academic and co-curricular programmes across the country.

“Today, those challenges are eased as we welcome this wonderful addition to our institution. We also thank the Ugunja CDF office for their invaluable support and partnership. Your investment in education is an investment in the future of our students, and we are deeply grateful,” the statement said.

The twin developments, the abolition of the mandatory hair shaving policy and the acquisition of a new school bus, were widely viewed as significant milestones for the institution, capping a period of academic excellence and renewed optimism.

Students ended the week in a celebratory mood, looking forward to both a new chapter in school life and the opportunities that come with the institution’s continued growth and success.