Category: Daily Guide Network

Over the weekend, the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, instructed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to enforce strict hair grooming rules in senior high schools, a directive that has generated significant public discussion.

Critics argue that policy attention should focus on substantive reforms rather than appearance. This article situates hair regulation within the wider educational philosophy of uniformity and shows that, when implemented fairly and with rights safeguards, grooming rules can promote social balance, focus, and collective identity.

In Ghana’s secondary schools, students come from households of both limited and substantial means. Where appearance is unregulated, social competition can intensify. Some families finance elaborate hairstyles while others cannot.

The result is what Bourdieu (1984) calls symbolic distinction, where visible markers of taste reproduce subtle hierarchies that undermine equal opportunity, contrary to Article 25(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (1992).

Schools therefore employ uniformity in dress, grooming, and conduct to level differences and cultivate shared identity. This aligns with Jackson’s (1968) hidden curriculum, through which schools transmit norms of respect, order, and discipline, and with Durkheim’s view that moral education depends on common standards that bind individuals into a community (Durkheim, 1956).

From this perspective, hair rules support belonging and responsibility while damping status display, conditions that empirically sustain academic achievement.

Empirical work is consistent with this logic. In Ghana, Navei (2025) shows that schools view grooming as central to moral formation and institutional identity, even as tensions emerge when rules meet rights claims. In Kenya, Evans and Ngatia (2021) find that structured appearance policies, including hair codes within uniform provision, increase attendance and reduce peer-status pressures, improving classroom focus.

International practice supports the same principle. Across Britain’s comprehensive schools, Japan’s classrooms, and Singapore’s national system, appearance regulation is common, although not legally mandated or identical in form.

The guiding norm of neat and moderate hairstyles is widely institutionalised as part of discipline and school identity.

In 2021, the mother of a British-Ghanaian boy, Farouk James, publicly reported challenges securing admission for her son in England because several schools required trimmed hair for boys, illustrating how enduring and contested such expectations can be in otherwise liberal systems.

However, fairness and proportionality are essential. Courts across many contexts have held that grooming codes cannot override fundamental rights where they intersect with religion or culture.

In Antonie v Governing Body, Settlers High School (South Africa, 2002), Ex parte Makeda Mbewe and Ishmael Nansolo V Ministry of Education (Malawi, 2017-2020), and Tyron Iras Marhguy and Oheneba Nkrabea V Achimota School (Ghana, 2021), blanket hair-cutting rules were found unconstitutional when they imposed unequal burdens on students whose natural or dreadlocked hair expressed religious or cultural belief.

These decisions do not reject grooming as pedagogy; they define its constitutional limits and affirm that equality under religion and culture, not fashion or individual preference, is the legitimate basis for exception.

Hair grooming policies in our schools should therefore be viewed neither as colonial relics nor as instruments of suppression, but as elements of a broader pedagogical tradition aimed at cultivating equality, discipline, and moral purpose.

The real challenge is to interpret and enforce hair-grooming rules with sensitivity and proportionality, preserving discipline while upholding the rights and dignity of every learner. Education is meant to shape the mind, not to decorate the mirror.

The Ministry of Education has clarified the directive of the compulsory use of Ghanaian languages in teaching students across the country as announced by the sector minister, Haruna Iddrisu.

According to the ministry, the directive applies to only Kindergarten to Primary 3 (Lower Primary) levels, and not the entire basic school levels.

‘The Honourable Minister for Education has asked me to clarify that the policy directive he announced on Friday regarding the compulsory use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction in our public basic schools is confined, emphasis, confined to KG up to Primary 3.

‘In other words, KG and Lower Primary. Having clarified what seems to have given a few persons sleepless nights, I bring you greetings,’ Deputy Education Minister Clement Apaak said.

Speaking at the launch of the Foundational Learning Action Tracker on Monday, October 27, Mr. Clement Apaak said the clarification was necessary to settle the ongoing discussions.

Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to strictly enforce the use of mother tongue instruction in all Ghanaian schools.

According to the Education Minister, this directive forms part of efforts to reform the education sector, while promoting the use of local languages in teaching and learning.

Speaking at the launch of the Free Tertiary Education Programme for Persons Living with Disabilities, Mr. Iddrisu stressed that the initiative seeks to encourage the use of local languages as a medium of instruction, particularly at the basic education level, to enhance comprehension and learning outcomes.

‘I am directing the Director-General of the GES and the GES that from today, teacher use of mother tongue instruction is now compulsory in all Ghanaian schools.

‘The GES is to ensure strict enforcement of this.This is part of President Mahama’s reset agenda,’ he said.

Meanwhile, former Director-General of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and Lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr. Prince Hamid Armah, has reacted to the clarification saying, ‘the Education Ministry has now confirmed that the mother tongue policy applies from Kindergarten to Primary 3, consistent with Ghana’s established bilingual framework.’

He further noted, ‘This position aligns with both the National Pre-Tertiary Curriculum Framework and international evidence supporting early-grade bilingual transition models. It is precisely what I argued for: structured use of the mother tongue up to Primary 3, with Primary 4 as the pedagogical bridge to English.

‘Policy coherence matters. When directives are grounded in theory and research, public confidence grows and confusion fades.’

Banks operating in the country wrote off GHS1.05 billion as bad debt within the first eight months of 2025, representing a 46% decline compared to the GHS1.95 billion recorded over the same period in 2024, according to the Bank of Ghana’s August 2025 Domestic Money Banks Income Statement.

The central bank attributed the improvement to a broad-based strengthening in asset quality across all economic sectors, despite lingering credit risks in the financial system.

The report noted that the decline in bad debts reflects improved loan recovery efforts and better risk management within the banking industry.

During the review period, interest expenses of domestic banks reached GHS10.11 billion, marking a 20.9% year-on-year increase. This was largely driven by higher deposit rates and funding costs amid a competitive financial environment.

The Non-Performing Loans (NPL) ratio, a key measure of banking sector health, dropped from 24.3% in August 2024 to 20.8% in August 2025, indicating improved loan performance, the central bank said.

According to BoG, when adjusted for fully provisioned loan losses, the ratio improved further, from 10.6% to 6.8%, reflecting a lower proportion of substandard and doubtful loans.

It stated, ‘The improvement in asset quality was broad-based, with a decrease in non-performing loans in all economic sectors.’

The regulator added that the contraction in the NPL stock, alongside steady loan growth, contributed to the industry’s positive performance.

The total NPL stock fell by 6.1% year-on-year, from GHS21.1 billion in August 2024 to GHS19.8 billion by August 2025, it added.

This contraction, the report noted, was supported by increased write-offs and the appreciation of the Ghana cedi, which reduced the domestic value of foreign-currency-denominated bad loans.

Despite the overall improvement, the private sector continued to dominate the NPL portfolio, accounting for 97.4% of total bad loans in August 2025, up from 96.0% a year earlier.

In contrast, the public sector’s share declined to 2.6%, from 4.0% in August 2024.

The Bekwai Circuit Court has remanded 22 individuals, including 21 nationals of Burkina Faso and one Ghanaian, into prison custody for their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities at Esaase Bontefufuo in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.

The suspects were arrested during a joint operation led by the Amansie West District Security Council (DISEC), the District Police Command, and the Formed Police Unit (FPU), headed by ASP Solomon Adusei Berko.

According to ASP Berko, the operation followed credible intelligence that some foreign nationals were engaged in illegal mining in river bodies, causing extensive environmental destruction and water pollution.

Upon reaching the site, the security team found the suspects actively mining with Changfan machines. They were apprehended after failing to produce any legal authorisation or licence to operate.

The accused persons, led by 32-year-old Ghanaian, Issah Amadu, were arraigned before His Honour Isaac Appiatu and charged with conspiracy to commit crime and undertaking mining operations without a licence, contrary to sections 23(1) of Act 29/60 and 99(2)(a) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2019 (Act 995).

Prosecuting, ASP Lloyd Baidoo, Esq., told the court that the Ghanaian national, Amadu, faces two additional counts under the Human Trafficking Act, 2005 (Act 694), for recruiting and exploiting three nationals of Burkina Faso.

The prosecution revealed that the accused deceived the victims and transported them to Esaase to work at his mining site under harsh and exploitative conditions.

During investigations, the foreign nationals mentioned one Martin, a Ghanaian, as the owner of the mining site who allegedly paid them the cedi equivalent of 5,000 CFA francs monthly. However, they could not lead the police to his location.

ASP Baidoo further stated that Amadu later reported to the Manso Nkwanta Police Station claiming ownership of the site and admitted that three of the suspects were his workers. He was, however, arrested after failing to produce a valid mining licence.

The court remanded all 22 accused persons into prison custody to reappear on November 7, 2025, while efforts are underway to arrest Martin and two others currently at large.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Christian Service University (CSU), Dr. Stephen Banahene, has urged newly admitted students to pursue their studies with purpose, humility, perseverance, and integrity, as they begin their academic journey at the institution.

Speaking at the university’s 50th matriculation ceremony, which also marked the second since CSU attained its Presidential Charter, Dr. Banahene cautioned students against examination malpractice and indiscipline, stressing that any student caught cheating would be rusticated for one academic year.

‘Find your purpose, persevere, be humble, be smart with your studies, and step out of your comfort zone to explore,’ he advised.

The colourful event, held on the university’s campus in Kumasi, officially welcomed 1,148 students into various academic programmes for the 2025/2026 academic year. Out of the total, 907 are females (79%) and 241 are males (21%). The breakdown includes 8 diploma students (0.7%), 962 undergraduates (83.8%), and 178 postgraduates (15.5%).

Dr. Banahene, who was presiding over his first matriculation since assuming office, commended the new students for choosing Christian Service University, describing it as one of Ghana’s most reputable private tertiary institutions.

‘This university is among the top-notch institutions in Ghana, producing legends in various fields of expertise. These legends walked the same paths you are walking today, and discovered their potential in this same environment,’ he noted.

He emphasised that matriculation was not only a formal admission process but also a solemn commitment to uphold the university’s core values of Excellence and Integrity.

Dr. Banahene revealed that 840 students (73%) of those admitted had completed their registration, made up of 98 postgraduates (11.67%), 738 undergraduates (87.86%), and 4 diploma students (0.48%).

He encouraged the students to make the most of their stay on campus by maintaining discipline, building friendships, and preparing to contribute meaningfully to national development.

‘We need people who are bold and confident to move this country to the next stage of development, and we want those people to come from this cohort,’ he said.

Dr. Banahene reaffirmed CSU’s commitment to providing a nurturing academic environment and called on the students to become worthy ambassadors of the university after their graduation.

‘Together, we will make your stay at this university fruitful and memorable so that you will go into the world as proud ambassadors of Christian Service University – a place of Excellence and Integrity,’ he concluded.

AN UNKNOWN robber, in a desperate attempt to escape an arrest left behind his weapon at the crime scene, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) District police in Kumasi, has disclosed.

The runaway hoodlum, who was said to be in possession of a gun and pry bar, had reportedly sneaked into a house at Kotei near KNUST, around 3:30 am on October 10, 2025 to rob.

The male suspect was loitering on the corridor of the house, perhaps checking how he could break into the locked rooms and rob his victims, but he was not lucky, as he was spotted by one David Aryee.

Mr. Aryee said the robber might have heard him appealing to someone on the phone to rush to his house and help him to apprehend a robber, who had invaded his premises.

Sensing danger, the suspect quickly fled from the house and left behind a pry bar, which he was supposed to have used to break into the rooms of his victims and robbed them of their valuables.

‘On 10/10/2025 at 0600 hours, David Aryee, accompanied by Chief Inspector, Michael Edward Ohene-Sarfo I/C the KNUST Task force team, came to the station with a pry bar.

‘The former reported that, same day about 0330 hours, he heard an unusual noise at his place of abode at Kotei, and when he woke up to find out what was happening, he spotted a young man, armed with an implement, loitering about on his veranda.

‘That, the suspect ended up at his door and was in the process of breaking into the room. That, he made a phone call for help and upon the suspect hearing the feedback sound from the other side of the phone, he bolted,’ KNUST District police sitrep said.

According to the police, Mr. Aryee said when, ‘he came out, he realised that the room to the hostel’s porter, who was not present, was broken into but he was yet to find out what was taken from there’.

The police said they have obtained statement from the complainant and have also proceeded to the scene for further action, adding that, ‘the exhibit pry bar is retained’ as investigations are ongoing.

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has announced an upward review of the biennial licence renewal fee for Foreign Exchange Bureaux (FEBs) from GHS800 to GHS2,000, effective immediately.

In a statement, the central bank said the adjustment forms part of ongoing regulatory reforms aimed at strengthening oversight, improving compliance, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of operations within the foreign exchange sector.

The BoG explained that all licensed bureaux are required to renew their operating licences every two years, no later than two months before the expiry of their existing licences.

This requirement is in line with Section 10 of the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723) and Paragraph 8 of the Bank of Ghana Notice No. BG/GOV/SEC/2003/2 under the revised Forex Bureau Regulations.

The new fee structure, according to the BoG, reflects the need to align the regulatory cost framework with current economic realities and to support enhanced supervision of the foreign exchange market.

The central bank has therefore urged all Foreign Exchange Bureaux to comply with the revised fee schedule and to contact the Licensing and Approvals Office of the Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department for further clarification.

The Calvary Charismatic Centre (CCC), one of Kumasi’s leading charismatic churches, has marked its annual Evangelism Month with a donation to the Asokwa Children’s Hospital.

Last Saturday, elders and members of the church, led by the Resident Pastor, Rev. Joshua Obeng, presented a range of essential items including toiletries, detergents, soaps, toothbrushes, and toothpaste to the hospital’s management.

The gesture formed part of CCC’s October initiative, which focuses on community outreach and evangelism under the theme ‘Massive Evangelism.’

Before the official presentation, the CCC delegation toured the hospital facilities to familiarise themselves with its operations.

The hospital’s Deputy Administrative Manager in charge of Claims, Benjamin Wiredu, briefed the team on the hospital’s daily activities and challenges.

Impressed by what they saw, the church leaders commended the hospital staff for their professionalism and the cleanliness of the wards and premises.

Presenting the items, Rev. Obeng expressed the church’s deep appreciation for the dedication of health professionals working tirelessly to care for sick children.

‘A society that does not keep an eye on the health of its infants and children will eventually lose its existence,’ he remarked, stressing the crucial role of the hospital in safeguarding the future of the nation.

He explained that although the Asokwa Children’s Hospital primarily serves the Asokwa area, its impact extends across Kumasi and beyond, making it a worthy beneficiary of the church’s outreach.

‘As part of our evangelism month, members and elders of CCC felt compelled to give back to society by supporting this hospital that caters to our children. This is both a spiritual and social calling,’ Rev. Obeng said.

He added that the donation was aimed at helping the hospital meet its immediate needs while also reaffirming the church’s mission to share God’s love through service.

Receiving the items on behalf of the hospital, Mr. Wiredu expressed profound gratitude to CCC for the timely donation.

‘These are essential supplies that directly support our daily operations and the wellbeing of our young patients,’ he noted.

Moliy and Tyla’s new single ‘Body Go’, a fusion of RandB, Pop, Amapiano, and Afrobeats that’s all about confidence, freedom and self-expression, has debuted number two on the official UK Afrobeats Chart for the week October 25 to October 31.

Following the release on October 17, 2025, this global dance anthem features the two artistes bringing their unique styles together to create an empowering song for the ultimate girls’ night out.

The track, produced by FRNCH and Grammy-winning producer DEE/MA, blends pulsating Amapiano basslines with smooth Afrobeats melodies and irresistible hooks.

According to Moliy, ‘Body Go is a playful and light song that feels like you’re out with your girls, not thinking too hard, just living and moving’. Tyla adds that meeting Moliy in New York felt like meeting an old friend, and their chemistry radiates through the track.

The music video for ‘Body Go’, directed by Nathan Tettey, captures the high-energy and celebratory vibe of the song, showcasing the artistes’ cultural roots and confidence. With ‘Body Go’, Moliy and Tyla are reaffirming Africa’s powerful presence in shaping the future of global music.

By the time the Ghana Education Service (GES) directed school authorities across the country to desist from imposing unauthorised levies or fees, the horse had already been let out of the barn.

This year’s school placement, as observed in a previous commentary, suffered challenges which enabled the authorities in schools to fleece anxious and stressed parents.

In our opinion, the GES should have put in place effective measures to make it impossible for school authorities to find ways of fleecing parents.

The corruption began with the human-interface enabled placement system during which some students did not get their choices. In some instances, some students were sent to places outside their regions of residence and even made day students.

With parents anxious, the authorities then demanded unauthorised monies to effect the necessary changes.

Information which made the headlines yesterday indicated that tension mounted at the Kpassa Senior High Technical School (SHTS) in Oti Region as parents and students protested GHS435,000 unapproved fees.

During this schools’ ‘cocoa season’, vulnerable parents suffer because the regulator does not usually put in measures to protect parents and students.

In the case of the Kpassa SHTS, the headmaster is alleged be demanding so much money to replace lamp holders among other items said to have been damaged or destroyed perhaps by students.

The simplicity with which the messages via WhatsApp to parents to pay for the replacement does not make for proper tracking of the monies collected.

Under such circumstances, shouldn’t the Parents-Teachers Association deliberate upon the subject before resorting to such suspicious and simple messages to parents?

Financially stressed parents will of course demand accountability, which under such circumstances are non-existent, leading to the tension between them and the school authorities.

It is worrying that parents will be left to their fates at the hand of money-seeking school authorities, especially at such times.

In the school under review, it has also been learnt that other levies have already been imposed upon parents, receipts to which effect have been sighted.

Although auditing of the books of schools is a routine procedure, it would appear however that when it comes to such unapproved levying of fees, same are unnoticed or even glossed over.

Situations where school authorities sell specific items to students, these should be examined to make it impossible for fleecing of parents to take place.

As we earlier pointed out, there should be a post-mortem of the school placement system in the context of among others authorities imposing unapproved levies on parents. It is not enough to issue directives ordering the school authorities not to do so.

The case of the school under review offers an appropriate case study.

The headmaster who should have spoken to the media about what really happened is reported to have declined to do so.

When the GES poses questions to him, however, he certainly will respond. Until then, we insist that something must be done to make things easy for parents in future school placements.