Imposition Of Decisions Dangerous For School Administration - Old Achimotan Association Cautions

The Old Students Association of Achimota School has cautioned against the imposition of decisions on the management of school administrators without their express concern.

According to the association, this will erode the years of successful school administration with time tested mechanism.

The caution follows a ruling by the Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court on Monday, May 31, 2021, that ordered the School to admit two Rastafarian students, Tyron Iras Marhguy and Oheneba Nkrabea, who were denied admission by the institution because of their dreadlocks.

In the ruling, the Human Rights Court One presided over by Justice Gifty Adjei Addo, held that failure to admit the two students because of their dreadlocks, which is a manifestation of their religious right is a violation of their human rights, right to education, and dignity.

The court, in separate judgments, ordered Achimota School to admit the students to continue their education.

But speaking at an Annual General Meeting at the Old Achimotan Association (OAAN), the president of the association and former vice-chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey said forcing change could be dangerous for school administration.

He said, “There are many things that are changing around us, some of which we can control, we have to learn to live with them, but when you see change being forced in a manner that defiles your basic rules and would lead to other things that you cannot do anything about, it becomes worrisome”.

He was of the view that change must be managed slowly and not be imposed on institutions, “Let us manage change slowly, it’s always good for institutions whether it’s the church, whether its university, whether its schools to manage change gradually and must not be forced on you”.

He added “It is not about two Rasta young men, I have seen them, I met them in court, they look to me like nice young boys… but I need to be thinking about the bigger picture. Where this post-modernism is leading us, where will it end, who are those riding behind this? There are people who are taking advantage of what is going on not because they believe in Rastafarianism.