Spokesperson for Public Interest Advocates, Frank Aboagye Danyansa says even though Ghanaians are entitled to fundamental human rights and freedom, persons below the ages of 18 can be limited from enjoying certain privileges.

According to him, Article 14 (1) subsection (e) of the 1992 constitution states that in the case of education and well fair of a person, the right of an individual can be curtailed when he/she is less than the ages of 18.

He said the directives from the Ghana Education Service (GES) asking the management of Achimota School to admit two students with dreadlocks is discriminatory.

“In the case of this Achimota Rasterferian boy, he is less than 18 years and he has to abide by the rules and regulations or code of conduct of our educational system. So if currently, he knows that he can’t go to school with the long hair, that is the law.”

In his view, the directive from GES has the potential of threatening the code of conduct of students thus deregulating the school system, therefore, reverse its decision and not allow the admission of the two boys.

Mr Danyansa believes that should GES fail to withdraw its directive, other religious body may also push for their right to practice their faith in the nearest future.

Describing the directive as a bad precedent, he said it will have a dire impact on Ghana's educational system.

“There are so many religious bodies that have peculiar things they do. If we want to inculcate all these in our educational system, then we are going to create confusion. We believe that what we are doing now has negative repercussions in the future and we think that now we would not have issues but in the future, everybody of every religious group would want to have their way in our educational system.

“If the rules of education state that you should have a short hair cut, cut your fingernails, dressed properly, then we should allow that but if other religions also believe that they should walk barefooted, would we allow their wards to come to school barefooted? We are just setting a bad precedent.”

In his advice, he said, "there are two things they [GES] can do, either they will maintain the law, and allow all religions bring their laws into our educational system or change their directive and allow the boy go home for a haircut."      

Aboagye Danyansah also commended the school's authority of being firm in their decision and upholding the school's code of conduct.

"I think we need to applaud the headmistress of the school for trying to enforce the law or the code of conduct for students that was outlined by GES.