Professor Joseph Osafo, Head of Psychology at the University of Ghana, has slammed the parents of two Rasta students whose entry into the Achimota Senior High School (SHS) were disallowed.
Headmistress of the school refused to admit the students because the school rules don't allow admission of students with dreadlocks.
But father of one of the students took to social media to protest the school's decision.
Following his whining on Facebook, social media was awash with arguments for and against the decision of the school authorities.
The issue caught the attention of the Ghana Education Service and, in response, has directed the headmistress to admit the two Rasta students to begin their Senior High School (SHS) education.
“We have asked her [headmistress] to admit the students. The student is a Rastafarian and if there is evidence to show that he is Rastafarian, all that he needs to do is to tie the hair neatly.
''...you cannot say that you will not admit someone on the basis of the person's religious beliefs and so, we have asked the head to allow the children to be in the school”, the Director-General of the GES, Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa told the Daily Graphic.
Touching on the issue in a discussion on Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', Prof. Joseph Osafo stated that Achimota SHS has been unfairly treated.
He asked why the parents would complain about the school rejecting their children on the basis of their dreadlocks when they knew the rules of the school before sending them there.
''You knew the rules of the school didn't permit the students to be admitted with their hairstyle, yet disregarded the rules and turn around to complain...You have betrayed the trust of the school'', he argued.
To him, the Ghana Education Service (GES) directive to the school Head to admit the students will have future consequences stressing ''if we're not careful and we bow to individual demands, others will join. That's where the challenge is...If the school has its rules, I think that to give an order like that is a problem''.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Rules are rules so why don't you tell us the rule on long hair. What is the permissible length of hair for Achimota School? If you were to tell us the rule, We may be able to ascertain whether it is applied to everyone, or may be, just may bbn be, your prejudice to the life choice is coming out.
Totally ***barred word*** to accept mayaafi, wig and leave European students to keep their hair because you can't ask or force a white person to cut their hair BUT they will force and bully their own black people for cut their hair either male or female but cannot ask a white or Lebanese to do the same. You see how white culture education destroy our country. We are still in slavery and we will forever be. Judge the student on his character and not his appearance. If an India, jew, European, Americans, Lebanese, or chinese come to school here they don't force or bully them to cut their hair but only Ghanaians both male and female whether you like it or not. Joking country
YOU KEEP HIDING BEHIND RIGHTS TO DO ***barred word*** THINGS. THE NEXT THING WILL BE LEGALIZE LGBTQ NOW.. WE ARE BUILDING A NATION AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO SURVIVE WITH RULES AND REGULATIONS. HE'S RASTAFARIAN AND SO NO RULE SHOULD WORK?? I ONLY BLAME THE PRESIDENT FOR BEING A DECEIVER. EVERYTHING IN THE COUNTRY IS WHACK NOW. GOD HELP US.
when i was in Senior High School we had Muslims among us, they had a mosque where they worshiped but were not allowed to wear the jireb on campus. however my Muslims ladies parents never complained because they knew it was the rules of the school. as soon as we leave the school premises they put it on. most of us had permed hair when we were in JHS, but barbered it before entering SHS. what makes him different from us? Rules are rules. next time a higher demand more than this will pop up. I think GES was too quick on their decision.
It is very troubling to read or hear such backward point of view from a learned and respected professor. I have no doubt that Professor Osafo had part of his education abroad and will no doubt had heard of human rights. Aren't there professors with dreadlocks in the world? In Staffordshire University where I pursued my LLB, one of our lecturers had her hair dyed red like the colours of Asante Kotoko. The ability of the children is what matters not their dreadlocks. Prof. come again.