El Salvador is cracking down on school discipline. The president appointed a former army captain as education minister. She has started inspecting schools in army dress. She is also a physician and was head of the country's coronavirus pandemic vaccination rollout. She has required all school principals to become role models. They must greet students as they come to school each morning. They will also check pupils' haircuts and uniforms. She warned: "Failure to comply with these provisions…will be considered a serious breach of administrative responsibility."

The main focus of the new education initiative is on appearance and conduct. Boys must have closely-cropped, military-style haircuts, while all students must wear neat uniforms and greet all teachers. There has been a mixed reaction to the policy. A teachers' union called it a "regrettable militarization" of schools. It worried the country was going back to the days of military dictatorship. It is concerned abuses of power against students might increase. However, many parents support the new rules. One said: "That's how you straighten children out from a young age."