Former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak, has sharply criticised Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu over his recent endorsement of short hair for senior high school students, describing the directive as “misguided” and “morally irrelevant.”
Speaking in response to the Minister’s remarks during Mawuli Senior High School’s 75th anniversary, where Haruna Iddrisu stated that long hair would not be tolerated “as long as we are molding character,” Mubarak argued that morality and discipline go far beyond appearance.
In a social media post on October 26, 2025, Ras Mubarak questioned the logic behind associating short hair with character development, referencing Ghana’s past double-salary scandal involving public officials.
“How does keeping students’ hair short stop them from becoming double-salary takers or corrupt politicians? Schools should rather focus on civics, patriotism, and community service — that’s how you build integrity,” he wrote.
The former lawmaker expressed disappointment in what he described as Ghana’s tendency to prioritise superficial discipline over meaningful educational reform. He stressed that the country’s real challenges — corruption, weak accountability, and declining patriotism — will not be solved by regulating hairstyles.
“The Ministry should be promoting science and math competitions, improving teacher welfare, ensuring proper supervision especially in rural schools, and enhancing civic education,” Mubarak advised.
He concluded by urging the Ministry of Education to shift its attention from policing student appearances to addressing the deeper issues affecting education quality and character development.
“Genuine character formation comes from values and action, not from forcing students to cut their hair,” he stated.
source: GhanaWeb
