Former General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), David Ofori Acheampong has indicated that accepting the Rastafari students who were denied admission to the Achimota Senior High School will amount to setting a bad precedent for the future.

He noted that the Ghana Education Service (GES) has presented the guidelines for the mode of dressing in schools across the country that must be adhered to.

Mr Acheampong told Kwame Appiah-Kubi on Accra100.5FM’s morning show, ‘Ghana Yensom’ that “GES has guidelines for the mode of dressing for all students in the country”.

He further noted that “the Achimota school headmistress did not deny the children admission. The Headmistress does not give admission. Everyone knows that the admissions are given through the Computerised School Placement System so the Headmistress has no say. The only thing the Headmistress can do is to seek compliance with the disciplinary codes in the school”.

According to Mr Acheampong, in establishing a defense for the Rastafari students, arguing based on religious beliefs is complicated because “it will set a bad precedent”.

“We have to move the argument from the angle of religion otherwise we are opening a Pandora box that will bring problems,” he stated.

He, therefore, called for an open conversation to consider some of the issues because everyone can be pleased, adding that, such guidelines are instituted in the best interest of the nation.

The students have been asked to cut their dreadlocks before they are accepted, a situation that does not sit well with them and their parents.

Opinions are divided on social media as to whether they should be allowed admission or not.