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Three final year female students of Accra-based St. John's Grammar School near Mile 7, Achimota have been cruelly denied their lifetime opportunity to write one of their final examination papers in the ongoing West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASCCE).

According to the candidates, who do not owe any school fees or levy and have also fulfilled every examination registration obligation, they accused two of the invigilators, Mr. Gyedu and one Mr. Ofori of acting arbitrarily to deny them their rights.

Their crime? They spot bushy hair. 

Speaking during PeaceFM's Midday News Bulletin on Monday, it was established by the young girls that though there is a rule not to keep bushy or long hair as students, the rule does not stop students from writing their exams.

The three unfortunate final year female students, who have already written four of their papers, told PeaceFM News that when one of their teachers, Mr. Ofori stopped them from gaining entrance into the school compound and asked them to go back and have their hair trimmed, they pleaded with him to allow them write the exams since their time was up for the exams to begin and do so at a more convenient time before their next paper.

"...he (teacher) did not give any definitive response to our request, therefore we decided to go and take our seat in the exams hall since time was almost up for the start of our Elective Subject (Christian Religious Studies), but to our surprise, before we got to the examination hall, information from Mr. Ofori had already reached the invigilator, Mr. Gyedu who is also a teacher of St. Johns Grammar School not to allow us to sit for the exams...we pleaded and pleaded but they said no...not even the intervention of the police officer on duty could make them change their mind," they narrated.

They further recounted that an attempt to report the incident to the Headmaster after the Assistant Headmistress failed to help them was met with another setback as the secretary to the Headmaster refused to allow them access.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has started investigations into the incident.

Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Pre-tertiary Education, Alex Kyeremeh told PeaceFM News after the station reached him for his reaction, described the incident as "most unfortunate which should not have occurred no matter the gravity of the offence of the female students".

"..even if they had not paid their fees, they should not be denied their right to write their final exams; an exams can determine their academic future," he added.

Though bemoaning the unfortunate situation, he noted that nothing can be done to reverse the situation and make the young students rewrite the subject they were denied that earlier opportunity "except to wait for the next available opportunity to register for the subject they were prevented from writing".

However, he assured that any other person involved in the lead up to the unfortunate incident will be punished to deter others from doing same if the investigation by his office proves the teachers deliberately denied the students from sitting for the exams.