The Deputy General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahen says it is needful for the Ghana Education Service (GES) to review the policy that frowns on students using mobile phones in schools. 

He indicated that at a period where technology has taken the centre stage of academia, it is imperative to ensure Ghanaian students are not left behind by denying them phone usage.

The GES policy does not allow students in Junior and Senior High schools to use mobile phones while in school. 

Speaking to Suncity Radio in Sunyani, Nana Obiri Boahen highlighted how mobile phones are changing lives in the area of Sports, Tourism, Business, Health, Agriculture, Weather, Banking, and Religion and wonders why such a policy is still in existence in the schools.

The National Council of Parent-Teacher Association has already supported the call to review the policy, saying, aside from research and other academic purposes, phone usage will help parents and guardians to keep in touch with their wards.

The new Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum in 2020 said he was aware that GES was in discussion with some stakeholders on the issue.

But Mr. Obiri Boahen warns that Ghana would live to regret as a country if it continues to deny its children access to this important technology.

The Private legal Practitioner also chided the Management of Achimota College for denying admission to some two students because they had dreadlocks.

Further Reading: 2 students with dreadlocks allegedly denied admission to Achimota School

He described the decision as a primitive mentality that must not be entertained in a country with the influx of people from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.

The Deputy NPP Chief Scribe quizzed, “how does dreadlock affect academic work in a school,” arguing that people wear dreadlocks for various reasons, including religion.

Meanwhile, the GES has directed the head of the Achimota School to admit the two first-year students following the massive reaction it received in the media space. 

This comes after a parent of one of the affected students, Ras Assad Nkrabea, took to social media, describing the school’s position as unfair and an infringement on his son’s right as captured in the 1992 constitution.