Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Shamima Muslim says all students in secondary schools are required to keep low haircuts, except in rare cases where there are clear health or religious reasons.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana with Annie Ampofo, she addressed the ongoing debate about school haircut policies after a new student at Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Senior High School was asked to cut her hair before being admitted.
Shamima Muslim said schools generally enforce a policy that promotes uniformity and discipline, and that parents must provide valid reasons if they want their children exempted.“I don’t want to make excuses for the exceptions, but broadly speaking, the general policy is that everyone keeps low haircuts in secondary school,” she said. “There are exceptions based on certain grounds agreed upon by the school in consultation with the Education Ministry. But these cases are very few and should not overshadow the majority.”
She cited health reasons as one example, explaining that some students may have medical conditions that make it unsafe to cut their hair completely. In such cases, she said, schools can allow a certain level of hair to protect the scalp.
Referring to the Achimota School case involving Tyrone Marhguy, who was nearly denied admission over his dreadlocks, Shamima Muslim said that the situation was based on religious grounds, which remain an exception. However, she stressed that such cases represent only a small fraction of the student population.
“If your parents do not come to the school with a tangible reason why you shouldn’t cut your hair, other than ‘it makes me look better,’ then you must follow the rule,” she said.
Shamima Muslim’s comments add to the wider national discussion on school grooming policies and how they intersect with personal rights, religion, and health concerns.
