Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, has called on parents and students to seek legal recourse if they believe they are being unfairly treated under the hairstyle directive issued by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu. His comments come in response to the Minister’s instruction to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and heads of second-cycle institutions to take full responsibility for managing student behaviour, including grooming and appearance.
During the 75th Anniversary celebration of Mawuli Senior High School, the Minister addressed the growing public debate on social media regarding hairstyle restrictions in schools. He emphasised that schools are institutions focused on building discipline and character, rather than beauty contests.
In an interview on Channel One Newsroom with Charles Owusu Kumi on Sunday, October 26, Kofi Asare acknowledged that while the Minister’s directive aims to promote uniformity and hygiene among students, it must still respect individual rights. He said students who feel victimised or discriminated against because of their hairstyles have the right to challenge such actions through legal means.
Mr. Asare added that enforcing discipline must go hand in hand with upholding fairness, inclusivity, and respect for personal dignity within Ghana’s educational system.
“It’s not always about indiscipline or discipline. I align with the law, and I encourage anyone who feels unfairly treated to engage the law. Society grows and so should the law grow,” he said. He cited the case of old Achimota School student Tyrone Iras Marhguy, who was denied admission in 2021 because of his dreadlocks but later won the case in court.
“Marhguy argued that maintaining his Rasta was linked to his belief in Rastafarianism. And that denying him admission based on Rasta meant that his rights to religion and culture were being impugned on account of the school regulations…It was necessary for him to be allowed to manifest his religion by wearing his hair, which he related directly to his belief in Rastafarianism, and the court upheld that.
He added, “The court simply said, yes, schools may set their rules for regulating dress codes, including hairstyles. But in setting those rules, they shouldn’t be inconsistent with their right to religion. “In the Marhguy case, culture and religion erupted. Before, all of us believed that it was unconscionable for the Ghana Education Service to deny people admission based on their hairstyles. That was our position.
“Then, the Marhguy’s case came, and the court made a pronouncement, and so we all aligned with the law until there is a contrary pronouncement by the court.”
Source: Leticia Osei
