Ghanaian award-winning actress Lydia Forson has intimated that the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) knows very well that the rules that schools set most often than not don’t apply to everyone.
In a Twitter post, she argued that schools freely admit foreigners and allow them keep their hair. Therefore, the management of the school shouldn’t pretend that they strictly apply the rules to everyone.
“We all know of or sat in class with Caucasian/ biracial nor sometimes black foreign students who wore their hair the way they wanted. Let’s not pretend that the rules are the same for everyone. NAGRAT knows this. #achimota”.
In another tweet, she said: “Please understand that the RULES AND REGULATIONS are written by human beings and therefore subject to be interrogated, challenged or changed to reflect our times. If we couldn’t we’d still be on slave ships heading to America to work on cotton fields”.
This follows NAGRAT intimating that GES can’t be making exemptions for students in conforming to school rules. The Association also noted that it will file a joinder to any suit that may be filed against Achimota School over its refusal to admit the Rastafarian students.
SOME REACTIONS TO HER POST
Her posts attracted several comments from the public. Some who were not in agreement with her argued that the norms here in Ghana are different from other countries. Therefore, if they are doing it doesn’t mean Ghanaian schools should also practice it. Meanwhile some argued that allowing the Rastafarians into the school, other people will use it as a precedence to fight for their right to practice some of the restrictions placed on them. However, those who were in agreement with Lydia noted that some management of schools are able to overlook foreigners with hair on and therefore they should be able to overlook a Rastafarian too. Some reactions to her posts read:
VIEWS OF OTHER ENTERTAINERS
Lydia Forson isn’t the only entertainer who has waded into this controversy. Some other artists including Lucky Dawuni, Stonebwoy and Blackk Rasta have shared their own opinions on the issue. Just like Lydia Forson, they are also asking that the Rastafarian students should be admitted to the school.
Meanwhile, GES has directed the school to admit the two students with dreadlocks. However, the school’s management has refused to accept them as a result of unprescribed hairstyle. That notwithstanding, the President of NAGRAT said that GES needs to reverse its order in the interest of uniformity and orderliness as well as respect for school rules.
