Counselor Frank Edem Adofoli has urged Ghanaians to approach the Senior High School (SHS) hair debate with logic rather than emotion, cautioning against the growing tendency to attack education authorities over student grooming policies.
Adofoli said parents who enrol their children in public SHSs knowingly accept the institutions’ rules, including those on hair, uniforms, and conduct.
“Once a parent accepts admission into a public school, they are agreeing that their child will follow the school’s rules,” he stated.
He described recent public outrage over a video showing a crying student forced to cut her hair as misplaced. According to him, “Children often cry when something they love is taken away. That does not mean the rules are wrong.”
Adofoli maintained that life is about choices and that parents who prefer schools with relaxed grooming codes have the option to make such selections. However, those who choose public schools must respect their regulations.
He dismissed claims that cutting students’ hair is a form of punishment that leads to adults wearing wigs later in life, explaining that “many adults have long or short hair by personal choice, not because of SHS rules.”
The counsellor emphasized that discipline remains a vital part of education. Quoting Hebrews 12:11, he wrote, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
