The government has maintained the long-held norm of students having short hair in public schools, particularly in the Senior High Schools.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who waded into the long hair brouhaha, stated clearly that it would no longer be admitted in public senior high schools.
Speaking at the 75th Anniversary of Mawuli, Volta Region, on Saturday, October 25, 2025 the Education Minister underscored that the country may, in the near future, have to deal with much more serious issues, if that of the long hair is left unsettled.
“There is an ongoing debate on social media about haircuts and size and length of hair in secondary schools. We will not tolerate it today. We will not tolerate it tomorrow. And so long as we are moulding character, if we give in to hair today, tomorrow it will be shoes. And the next day it will be the way they dress,” Minister Haruna said.
He continued that, “So, anybody who thinks that your child will walk into any institution of learning, as if that child, forgive my words, was to attend a beauty contest, the school environment is not for that purpose and not cut for that purpose, and we will not tolerate that as an institution.”
The government has “empowered” headmasters and the Ghana Education Service to “take full control of how students behave on your campuses” as part of the disciplinary measures, the minister announced.
VIDEO
Reports indicate that a video that has gone viral on social media and has become a subject of debate, was recorded and posted by a Barber who cut the long hair of a first year student of Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School.
It has also been reported that the father of the girl, after noticing the video on social media, has confronted the Barber, questioning him about why he filmed the girl and shared it on the internet without the consent of the parent.
It is not known whether the parent may consider legal action against the Barber or whether they would leave the matter to rest.
REPEAT
The current issue reminds the public of what occurred at Achimota School a few years ago. Readers will recall that in 2021, the High Court compelled Achimota School to admit Tyrone Marhguy who had dreadlocks.
The school had earlier denied him admission because of his dreadlocks, but the Rastafarian family of the boy sued the school and was successful.
Nearly five years later, a first year female student of Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School has been ordered to cut her long hair, which she complied with, a development that has generated debate.
AFTERMATH
In the heat of the new incident, Tyrone made a cryptic post on his Facebook page, asking about the nexus between uniformity and equality. He recounted the battles he had to fight to be able to have secondary education without compromising his identity.
“And finally, it’s the ultimate ‘failure’: gaining admission to the University of Pennsylvania to study computer engineering on a fully awarded scholarship,” he wrote in part.
He ended by saying, “I believe society cannot be judged, for it is not one entity. It may look like we are chasing a valuable concept, uniformity, by forcing all students to keep a low cut.
“But what has uniformity got to do with equality? Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I’m hoping someday, we will lay the first bricks!”
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