El Salvador is cracking down on school discipline. The new education minister is a former soldier. She has started inspecting schools in army uniform. She is also a doctor. She asked all school principals to be role models. They must greet students every morning. They will also check pupils' haircuts and uniforms. She warned: "Failure to comply with these provisions…will be considered a serious breach of...responsibility."

The focus of the new initiative is on appearance and conduct. Boys must have military-style haircuts. All students must wear neat uniforms and greet all teachers. There has been a mixed reaction. A teachers' union called it a "regrettable militarization" of schools. It worried the country could become a military dictatorship. It worried abuses of power against students might increase. However, many parents support the new rules.