Different schools of thought on Rastafarian students and Achimota School Saga

Two former heads of the Ghana Education Service (GES) have shared different thoughts over the acceptance or not of dreadlocked students in Senior High Schools.

In an interview on Accra based Citi tv former Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Charles Aheto-Tsega maintained that every Senior High School has its distinct culture, which should not be tampered with.

“Every school has its rules, and they contribute to its distinctiveness. Achimota became what it is because of its culture. So you do not go to Achimota and want the school to shelf its culture and embrace yours. If you think you cannot abide by the rules of a particular Senior High School, you can as well look for one that will accommodate your beliefs.”

“So the students may have been placed in a particular school alright, but after the placement, they go to the schools to enrol. And when they get there, they are presented with the school’s rules and regulations, you’ll then have to make a decision as to whether or not you’ll stay, he added.

The immediate past head of GES also argued that although the hairstyles of the students may not necessarily affect their studies, there is the need for uniformity in the various schools.

A former Chairman of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council, Michael Nsowah, had a different view on the matter.

He argued that as far as the said students are well-groomed, the matter should not be up for discussion.

“I have not come across any school that has stated hairstyles that are exempted. I am challenging the headmistress of the school to point out a portion of their rules that specifically speaks against rasta.”

“The question is, how is the person managing his rasta? Are they unkempt? If not, this is no issue. It has nothing to do with indiscipline. If we run our Senior High Schools based on institutional traditions we won’t be where we are,” he added.

Authorities of the Achimota School had on Thursday turned home the dreadlocked students, asking their parents to cut off their hair or find another school for them.

The news has since caught national attention.

After public outrage, GES directed the school to admit the two first-year students in spite of their dreadlocks.

An official at the GES who pleaded anonymity revealed that the school had been directed to admit the students but the school insisted that it will not change its decision.

Meanwhile, father of one of the affected boys, Raswad Nkrabea says he will seek legal redress.

“The assistant director was saying that he didn’t understand why there was this big social media issue and why the media is making a brouhaha over this and that he felt that the thing has been blown out of proportion.”

“He spoke about the rules from the GES, and she spoke about the rules of the school, and eventually they said we should cut the child’s locks and I said that is totally impossible. He went on to ask the principal headmistress if she will make a compromise with the parents, and she said no.”

“I told them that, I will go to court because there is no law in this land if the school’s rules are above the constitution so let us see what the court has to say [on this],” he explained.