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President of the NPP Patriots, Calvin Mensah, has strongly criticized the recent directive from the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, mandating strict adherence to no-haircut policies in second-cycle institutions. Calvin Mensah, speaking on Movement TV, argued that the timing of such a directive is misplaced, urging the Minister to shift his attention to more pressing challenges within the education sector. Speaking in reaction to the Minister’s pronouncements at the 75th Anniversary celebrations of Mawuli School, where Iddrisu empowered the Ghana Education Service (GES) and school heads to strictly control student behavior and appearances, Mensah labeled the focus on hairstyles as an “outdated form of control.” “In a modern educational system that aims to nurture creativity, confidence and innovation, enforcing mandatory haircuts is an outdated form of control that does more harm than good,” Mensah stated. According to him, education today is supposed to shape minds, not appearances. Adding that when institutions focus on uniformity of looks instead of quality of thought, they unconsciously suppress individuality and self-expression, two key pillars of modern education and leadership development. He further disclosed that such utterances to parents is an insult to them since they usually know and choose what is best for their wards. The education minister had emphasised that schools are meant to “mould character, not to host beauty contests” and warned that “giving in on hair today could lead to demands regarding shoes and dress codes tomorrow.” He stressed, “We’ll not tolerate today, we’ll not tolerate it tomorrow, in so long as we are moulding character. Anybody who thinks that your child will walk into any institution of learning, as if that Child was to attend a beauty contest, the school environment is not for that purpose and not cut for that purpose and will not tolerate that as an institution.” However, Mensah believes this directive diverts attention from critical issues. “At a time when our focus should be on digital literacy, innovation, and youth empowerment, it is deeply disappointing that we are still debating on hair. The Ministry of Education must instead tackle the real issues affecting our schools: wrong school placements, lack of access to nutritious meals, inadequate clean water, and poor learning conditions that hinder sound education and mental growth.” He further elaborated, “My point is that leadership, especially in education, must prioritize issues that have real impact on students’ growth and well-being. The conversation shouldn’t be about controlling appearance, but about improving access, welfare, and quality. Policies like the haircut directive feel outdated because they don’t solve any of the pressing challenges students face daily. Wrong placements, poor nutrition, lack of clean water, and mental health struggles.” Addressing potential perceptions of his stance as political, Mensah clarified, “That’s a fair question, and I understand why some may see it that way. But my position isn’t political; it’s patriotic and progressive. When young people speak on national issues, it shouldn’t always be reduced to politics. “I’m speaking as a Ghanaian who believes our education system should match the times we live in. If calling for better school conditions and a focus on student welfare is seen as political, then perhaps it’s time we redefine what true patriotism looks like.” The NPP Patriots’ President is therefore calling for a renewed focus on the substantive challenges within Ghana’s educational system, urging the Ministry of Education to prioritize policies that foster genuine learning and student well-being over perceived superficial disciplinary measures. Tragedy as farmer drowns while seeking loan to send child to SHS The wait is over! The GhanaWeb Excellence Awards 2025 is officially launched. Let’s Celebrate impact, innovation and excellence across Ghana. Who deserves to be honoured this year? Nominate now 👉 https://ghanaweb.com/ghanaexcellenceawards/nominate
