My article entitled ’The Lamptey-Mills school paedophilia’, and published on myjoyonline on 31st March 2010 elucidated why the Ghana Education Service should close down the Great Lamptey-Mills Institute as prescribed by section 25 of the Education Act, 2008 (Act 778), rather than just withdrawing his licence and taking over the school’s management. Revelations by Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information on the Tuesday 24th August edition of the Good Evening Ghana show confirms that the Attorney General has instructed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to withdraw the licence of Mr Lamptey-Mills and take over the management of the school. Even though it sounds pleasant to many ears, including mine that after almost two years of advocacy for justice in the Lamptey-Mills saga, sanctions has alas been preferred against him by the Ghana Education Service, the feasibility, and practicality, and to some extent the legality of the state taking over a private economic property is an issue worthy of discourse. The big question is: If Lamptey-Mills is not guilty of rape or defilement, then what offence precipitates the ‘seizure’ of his economic property? I sense a potential legal conflict between the right of the Minister of Education to close down a private educational institution and the right of the GES, acting on behalf of the Ministry of Education, to take over the management of a private educational institution. While I admit the clarity and uniformity of intentions in both scenarios, i.e. to enforce standards and make sure that the operation of a private school is not harmful to the welfare of children attending it, any such move to take over the school might only commence another litigation, which would affect the children’s access to the quality education they deserve. It will surely open a potentially protracted legal tussle over whether the state has enough grounds to take over Mr Lamptey-Mills’ economic property, especially where no legal charges has been ‘successfully’ preferred against him. Those who are always ready to read politics into this issue will make enough profit to the detriment of this national educational issue. I submit again, that the only solution that will protect the rights of girls in education, especially those at the mercy of Lamptey-Mills Institute is not only a withdrawal of his licence but also an outright closure of the school. If it is possible for GES to order the closure of O’Reilly Senior High School, and make arrangement for its students to be absorbed in other nearby Senior High schools, the same should not be impossible in the case of Lamptey-Mills Institute. I am fully convinced that GES has the support of all well meaning Ghanaians, including my good self, to close down all Great Lamptey-Mills Schools in Ghana. That will be a good enough lesson and caution to private schools that have immunity illusions. By Kofi Asare, Education Policy Analyst www.areghana.org