A mass event of haircutting for male students was held at School No. 2 in the city of Navoi. The incident occurred today, 23 February, a source told Kun.uz.

According to the source, the school principal, Nurbek Yusupov, initiated the event by calling a barber to the school and gathered male students from various classes in the sports hall to have their haircuts. National Guard officers were also reportedly observing the process.

Kun.uz contacted Rano Hayitova, the head of the Navoi Regional Pre-School and School Education Department, for comment on the incident. According to the department head, this situation is completely indefensible.

"I spoke with that school principal yesterday. We will thoroughly investigate the activities of this school. This situation is utterly unacceptable. In reality, such a director cannot remain in position. The school has no right to interfere with a student's hair. This does not align with the ethical code of a pedagogue," explained the department head.

As highlighted by Ramazon Kubaev, the press secretary of the National Guard of the Navoi region, the National Guard officers were against the principal's initiative.

"Our officers encountered this situation when they went to the school for attendance control. Of course, this cannot be allowed. For that reason, they told the school principal to stop the process and send the students back to their classes," says Ramazon Kubaev.

Earlier, a teacher at School No. 6 in Navoi city had sent a video message to parents, stating that wearing sneakers to school was not allowed. The ministry, however, had clarified that there are no restrictions related to footwear, specifically sneakers, in educational institutions.