About this module
Level 1 made you safe and useful. Level 2 makes you skilled, trusted and ready to run your own chair.
Who it is for. People who have finished Hairdressing and Barbering (Level 1), or who can show the same skills. National Proficiency II covers varied work, mostly routine, under limited supervision.
CTVET status. Cosmetology is certified at National Proficiency I and II under CTVET's competency-based system. Its unit list was not found online, so this module is not that curriculum. In the Western Region, the Ghana Hairdressers and Beauticians Association (GHABA) examines apprentices, who can then sit the NVTI certificate examination. Candidates are tested on chemicals, practical work and theory.
Law status. One news report said that no legal or administrative body controls the hair and beauty industry, and called for a State Board of Cosmetology that would issue licences. That report is old. Whether a national licensing board exists today was not verified. The Assembly permit in Unit 6 is the rule you can check.
Bridge from Level 1: what you already know
- New blade for every client; clean, then disinfect tools for the full contact time
- Ringworm: do not cut, refer, disinfect everything
- Relaxer basics: petroleum jelly, timing, neutralising shampoo; patch test before dye
- Formaldehyde and hydroquinone warnings; good ventilation
- Guards, a low cut, a basic fade, a line-up and a beard trim
- Washing, cornrows, box braids, safe braid sealing
- Consultation, style chart, agreed price and time
- Location checklist, Assembly fees, income ideas, portfolio, price list, client book
Level 1 did not cover blood-spill steps, scalp conditions beyond ringworm, hair analysis, bleach and colour in detail, advanced fades on textured hair, traction damage, wigs, bookings and deposits, staff and apprentices, or registering the business. Level 2 covers all of these.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme split of about 30% school and 70% workplace.
Unit 1 · Infection control, blood and scalp problems
A nick happens to every barber one day. What you do in the next two minutes decides whether it is a small cut or a disease.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Handle blood safely | stops the service, protects self, treats the wound, cleans up and records |
| 1.2 Sort tools by risk | disinfects clippers, razor handles, combs and brushes at the right level |
| 1.3 Know scalp conditions | names the conditions to refer and those that may be served |
| 1.4 Protect yourself | explains the hepatitis B vaccine and washes hands at the right times |
Range. Every client; mannequins and red-water drills. Evidence. Observation of a blood-spill drill; oral questions; hygiene log.
Why this matters at Level 2
Hepatitis B can pass through razors and other tools that carry blood. In a Kumasi study, only 2% of barbers were vaccinated and none washed hands or changed the apron between clients. In Italy, ten young men got scalp ringworm (Trichophyton tonsurans) soon after barbershop visits, and two were left with permanent scarring hair loss.
If a client bleeds
Stop the service at once. Then:
- Put on gloves.
- Rinse the wound with running water if you can, clean it with antiseptic and cover it with a plaster.
- Take away every tool that touched the blood. Do not use it again until cleaned and disinfected.
- Clean and disinfect the chair, counter and floor.
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Write down the client's name and phone, the date and what happened.
- Put used blades in the sharps box.
You do not have to see blood on a tool for an infection to pass.
Disinfect by risk
| Item | Level needed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Straight razor blades, single-use razors | Throw away after one client | WECHU Salons |
| Clippers, trimmers, razor handles | Intermediate to high level disinfection | WECHU Salons |
| Combs and brushes | Low level disinfection | WECHU Salons |
All reusable tools: wash with soap and warm water, dry, then disinfect. For contact times follow your product's label.
Hand hygiene
Wash hands, or use 70–90% alcohol sanitiser, before and after each client, before and after gloves, and after any contact with blood. Do not eat or smoke while working on a client.
Scalp conditions: serve or refer
| Refer, do not serve | May usually be served |
|---|---|
| Ringworm (round scaly patches, broken hairs) | Dandruff |
| Head lice | Seborrheic dermatitis (flaky, greasy scalp) |
| Scabies, impetigo | Hair loss that is not infected |
| Open sores, pus, unexplained swelling | Ingrown hairs (be gentle) |
This list comes from a United States exam guide, so treat it as a weak source and ask a nurse or doctor if unsure. For ringworm in Ghana treatment takes 6–8 weeks. Never diagnose. Say: "Please see a clinic first. I want your hair to be safe."
Vaccination. Hepatitis B vaccination is strongly recommended for personal-service workers. Ask a clinic or Ghana Health Service facility near you about the vaccine and its cost. The cost in Takoradi was not verified.
Serve or refer?
- A client has dry white flakes and an itchy scalp but no sores.
- A child has a round, scaly bald patch.
- You nick an ear while lining up. A drop of blood appears.
- A client has live lice in the hair.
- You wipe the clipper blade with a dry cloth between clients.
Blood-spill drill
- Using red water on a mannequin ear, run all seven steps.
- Fill in a blood-exposure record.
- Sort a tray of ten tools into "throw away", "intermediate/high" and "low" groups.
- Role-play telling a client with a scaly patch to see a clinic.
Find the vaccine
Ask a clinic about the hepatitis B vaccine: where, when and how much. Write it in your logbook.
Unit 2 · Chemical services done safely
Chemicals do the clever work. You do the careful work.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Analyse the hair | checks porosity, elasticity, density and texture before choosing a product |
| 2.2 Run a relaxer | prepares, applies, times, rinses and neutralises without burns |
| 2.3 Colour and bleach | does a patch test, mixes and applies as the label says, uses PPE |
| 2.4 Protect yourself | uses gloves, ventilation and skin care; avoids banned products |
| 2.5 Handle a burn or reaction | acts correctly and refers |
Range. Mannequin first, then volunteers after a patch test where needed. Evidence. Observation; patch-test record; oral questions.
Never do a relaxer, bleach or dye on a person until your trainer says you are ready. Never mix products from different makers. Follow the maker's label first; this manual is only a guide.
Read the hair first
A GHABA leader says a hairdresser should check the hair's porosity, elasticity, density and texture before choosing a relaxer, and keep learning, because "the client is coming to buy your knowledge". Many Ghanaian hairdressers still work without formal training.
Relaxers: what burns and why
Lye relaxers contain sodium hydroxide; "no-lye" ones use other strong alkalis such as guanidine hydroxide. Both can badly burn the scalp. Hair relaxers sit around pH 11–13. Safe steps:
- Do not scratch or brush the scalp before the service; do not relax a scalp with sores.
- Put petroleum jelly on the scalp and hairline. Wear gloves.
- Apply to the new growth only; smooth with fingers or the back of a comb, not the teeth.
- Leave it only for the time the maker states.
- If the client says it burns, rinse at once with lukewarm water, then neutralising shampoo.
- Wait 6–8 weeks between relaxers.
Colour, bleach and patch tests
Do a patch test 48 hours before every dye. Reactions can appear up to 72 hours later; swollen lips, tongue or throat, or trouble breathing, is an emergency. Persulphates in bleach can harm a hairdresser's skin and airways.
Smoothing treatments and banned products
"Methylene glycol" on a label means formaldehyde. Hydroquinone is banned in cosmetics in Ghana. Sell and use only FDA-registered products.
Protect yourself
The commonest hairdresser illnesses from chemicals are skin allergy (dermatitis) and asthma. Poor ventilation raises the risk of chronic cough. Wear gloves, take them off correctly (only about half of salons showed workers how) and keep a window or fan opening to the outside. Stand-all-day pain is common: 70% of 652 hairdressers had muscle pain.
Burn first aid. For a chemical burn on the scalp, rinse with running lukewarm water straight away. No Ghana medical guide was found. In the UK, the NHS advises: wear gloves to protect yourself, keep the area under cool or lukewarm running water (or pour lots of water over it) for about 1 hour, and do not put anything on the burn, such as creams or other chemicals; get medical help as soon as possible. Use this as a guide and ask your clinic. Send any blistering, open or large burn to a clinic. Do not spray alcohol-based products on a burned scalp.
Safe chemical service
- On a mannequin, do a hair analysis sheet: porosity, elasticity, density, texture.
- Do a full relaxer routine on a mannequin: base, gloves, time, rinse, neutralise.
- Do a patch test on a volunteer; record date and result after 48 hours.
- Role-play: a client says "it burns". What do you do, in order?
Label hunt
Read the labels on one relaxer, one dye and one smoothing product. Write the time, the warning and the registration number (if any).
Unit 3 · Advanced barbering and fades
Same guards, finer hands. A fade that works on one head must be re-planned for the next.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Plan the cut | reads hair type, density, growth patterns and head shape |
| 3.2 Cut fades | blends low, mid and high fades with no lines |
| 3.3 Finish sharply | line-up, beard design and razor edge with a new blade |
| 3.4 Care for tools | cleans, oils and sets blades; stops when skin shows bumps or sores |
Range. Mannequins, then paying clients under supervision. Evidence. Photos of finished cuts; observation; cut log.
Technique sources. Good free guides for fades were mostly low-quality websites, so this manual gives only the plan and safety rules. Your trainer demonstrates the hand movements. Guard lengths are the Level 1 table.
Plan before you cut
- Look at the growth pattern (crown, cowlicks) and density. Hair that is thick, curly or growing in swirls bends the guard path, so blend more slowly.
- Agree the fade height (low, mid, high) with a picture.
- Start with the longer guards and work down, checking with the comb as you go; you can always cut more, never put it back.
- Finish with a new blade for any razor work.
Ask about skin: do not razor over open sores or bumps that look infected; refer (Unit 1).
Clippers and money
Clipper prices seen on Jiji Ghana on 7 October 2026, mostly Greater Accra sellers: rechargeable budget clippers GH¢99–150; Philips GH¢220; Wahl home kits GH¢250–350; Wahl Finale shaver GH¢650. Other Jiji listings for professional cordless Wahl models ran from about GH¢1,300 to GH¢2,220. Buy two clippers if you can, so one can be disinfected while the other works. Asking prices can differ from what you pay; compare sellers.
Your busy days
Accra barbers near schools reported 30–40 clients a day, and many schools require low hair, so there is a rush before reopening. Plan extra blades, towels and a queue book.
Fade practice
- Do a low, a mid and a high fade on a mannequin; photograph each from front, side and back.
- Do one full cut and line-up on a volunteer, supervised. Run the hygiene routine first.
- Design a beard shape on a volunteer; use a new blade for the edges.
- Clean, oil and reset your clippers; write the steps.
Thirty cuts
Log thirty cuts with date, guards, time and one thing to improve.
Unit 4 · Braids, extensions, weaves and wigs
A beautiful style that destroys the scalp loses the client in the end.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Braid with care | makes neat knotless, cornrow and twist styles without painful tension |
| 4.2 Prevent damage | explains traction alopecia and advises on how long to keep a style |
| 4.3 Install extensions | installs extensions or a sew-in neatly and safely |
| 4.4 Make and fit a wig | measures, builds or customises a wig and installs it |
Range. Mannequins, then volunteers and clients under supervision. Evidence. Finished styles with photos; timing log; observation.
Time and honesty
Knotless braids take about 3–12 hours depending on size. In Accra, salons listed knotless braids at GH¢450–600 and above, with the smallest "micro" sizes from about GH¢1,050. Quote the time honestly.
Prevent traction alopecia
Braids, weaves, locs and extensions on chemically treated hair carry the highest risk of hair loss from pulling, called traction alopecia. Advice from dermatologists:
- Leave braids in no longer than two to three months.
- Take weaves and extensions out after six to eight weeks and let the hair rest.
- Alternate styles; avoid always-tight updos.
- Hair that has not been chemically processed stands up better to pulling.
Ask "does it hurt?" often. If the client's eyes water or small bumps appear at the roots, loosen it. Do not seal braid ends with hot water on bare skin: it has burned children's backs and shoulders.
Extensions and weaves
Check the scalp first (Unit 1). Do not install on sores, ringworm or burned scalps. Part cleanly, keep rows even, and keep the weight of added hair modest. Show the client how to care for it and when to return. (The hand steps are taught by your trainer; no free, reliable Ghana guide was found.)
Wigs: make, install, revamp
Wigs are a real business. A Takoradi firm makes, installs and revamps wigs. Prices seen on Fresha in Accra in October 2026:
| Service | Price seen (GH¢) |
|---|---|
| Wig revamp or refresh | 50–200 |
| Frontal wig installation | 250–350 |
| U-part wig installation | 290–500 |
| Closure wig making | about 300 |
| Wig styling only | about 150 |
Prices are Accra salon listings; Takoradi prices were not verified.
Basic steps for wig making: measure the head (round, ear to ear, forehead to nape), choose and size the cap, build the closure or frontal, and finish and style. Your trainer demonstrates each step. The sources found for this were low quality, so check each step with your trainer.
Hair time and tension
- A client wants braids to stay in for five months. What do you advise?
- A client's child cries when you tie a cornrow. What do you do?
- You must seal braid ends. How do you protect the skin?
Braids and wigs
- Do a full head of knotless or cornrows on a mannequin; time it.
- Install an extension set on a mannequin and write a take-down date for the client.
- Make or customise one lace-closure wig under supervision.
- Install a wig on a volunteer; check the scalp before and after.
- Photograph every step for your portfolio.
Care card
Make a printed care card for braids and wigs, with take-down dates and what to avoid.
Unit 5 · Customers, bookings, staff and apprentices
A happy client tells ten people. An unhappy one tells a hundred.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Handle hard clients | stays calm, agrees what can be done, refunds or repairs where fair |
| 5.2 Take bookings | uses a booking book or phone calendar; takes a deposit |
| 5.3 Lead helpers | gives clear tasks, checks hygiene, teaches a junior |
| 5.4 Include everyone | serves clients with disabilities with respect |
Range. All clients; a small team. Evidence. Role plays; booking record; observation.
Difficult clients
- Listen without interrupting; let them finish.
- Look at the hair and agree what went wrong.
- Offer a fix first (adjust, re-do the style), not an argument.
- Do not promise what hair cannot do. Chemicals and tension can change hair for good; explain risk before, not after (Unit 2 and Unit 4).
- Keep a note of what was agreed.
Bookings and deposits
Long styles need a long chair booking. A deposit protects your time. Write it in the booking book: name, phone, style, price, deposit, date and time. No Ghana rule was found fixing a deposit amount; set your own, say it plainly and give a receipt. Not verified: whether any Assembly or association rule limits deposits.
Staff and apprentices
Apprenticeship normally takes years. A large Ghanaian trial found trainees in hairdressing gained self-employment earnings and assets. Write a short agreement with an apprentice: days, tasks, hygiene rules, what you teach, and any small allowance. The Labour Act sets rules on contracts and safe work; ask the Labour Department before hiring. Teach the hygiene routine on day one: no one touches a client until they pass Unit 1.
Accessibility
Ghana's Persons with Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) covers equal rights, accessibility and employment. An employer must not discriminate against a worker because of disability unless the disability affects the job itself. Public places were given ten years to become accessible, a period that ended in 2016; disability groups said in August 2026 that enforcement is still weak. The Assemblies' disability share rose from 3% to 5% from 2026, and STMA has already given barbering and hairdressing tools to persons with disabilities. Practical steps: a step-free door; a station a wheelchair user can reach; a picture chart and written prices for deaf clients; write the booking in text; ask "how can I help?" before helping.
Role plays and bookings
- Role-play a client unhappy with tight braids; agree a repair.
- Fill a week of the booking book with five long styles and five cuts, with deposits.
- Teach a classmate the Unit 1 hygiene routine as if they were a new apprentice.
- Walk your training centre and mark access problems for a wheelchair user and a deaf client.
Apprentice agreement
Write a one-page apprentice agreement for your future shop.
Unit 6 · Licensing, location and business ideas
Be legal, be visible, and sell more than one thing.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Meet the rules | lists the Assembly permit, business registration and qualifications |
| 6.2 Choose a site | scores sites for footfall, water, power, access and competition |
| 6.3 Plan services | chooses salon, barbershop, mobile or home service and extra lines |
| 6.4 Plan the layout | draws a shop plan that is clean, ventilated and accessible |
Range. A planned shop or mobile service in Sekondi-Takoradi. Evidence. Rules sheet; site report; layout drawing; business plan.
The rules to check
- Assembly permit. STMA's 2025 fee schedule lists barbering, braiding, small salon, and salon with pedicure, manicure and braiding categories. Level 1 showed the 2025 amounts: barbering shop 150 / 250 / 350 a year, braiding only 130, small salon 100, bigger salon 760, product retail 200 (all GH¢). Check the 2026 figures at STMA before paying.
- Register the business name. The Registrar of Companies' 2026 schedule lists GH¢130 for registering a business name and GH¢70 for the yearly renewal. A 2023 news report said GH¢100, so fees have changed. You need a Ghana Card and a TIN. A registered business can own a business account and more easily get loans.
- FDA registration for products. Sell only FDA-registered products.
- Qualifications. After a three-year apprenticeship, GHABA candidates can sit the NVTI exam. Cosmetology certificates at NP I and II exist under CTVET. A personal hairdresser licence in Ghana was not verified. One online page for Ada East gave a licence process, but it was unreliable and cannot be applied to Takoradi. Phone STMA's licensing desk.
Please phone before you pay. STMA and the Registrar change fees, and no single official page lists every rule for a salon in Takoradi. Write down the name and date of the official you speak to.
Choosing a location
Use the Level 1 checklist (footfall, visibility, water and power, competition, rent, access). Add two points. Ghana's Rent Act limits advance rent to six months, yet many Takoradi landlords still ask for one or two years. Barbers set up near schools, from table-top stands to larger shops, and Friday to Sunday are busiest.
- Footfall and visibility. Near schools, markets, estates, lorry stations, offices.
- Water and power plan. A backup for outages: charged clippers, a small generator kept outdoors.
- Ventilation. A door and window or fan to the outside for chemical work.
- Layout. Separate the wash area, chemical area and waiting area; a clean place for disinfecting tools; a sharps box.
- Step-free entrance and a station a wheelchair user can reach.
- Rent and advance you can pay without borrowing more than you can repay.
Business ideas and ingenuity
- Barbershop with a braiding corner for Saturday families
- Wig making, installation and revamping, as an existing Takoradi business does
- Mobile or home service for weddings, funerals and busy people; carry your own clean tools, towels and a small sharps box. Home salons are a way women cut costs
- School reopening rush: advertise low cuts before term
- Retail: hair food, combs, beard oil, wigs, FDA-registered only
- Training apprentices once you are skilled (Unit 5)
- Care cards and aftercare packs sold with every braid or wig
Rules and costs
A small barbershop pays: Assembly permit GH¢250 a year, business name GH¢130 once, renewal GH¢70 each following year. What does the first year cost? What does the second year cost? Use the 2025 and 2026 figures above and say they must be checked.
Plan your shop
- Visit two possible sites; score each with the checklist and take photos.
- Draw a layout with wash, chemical, cutting and waiting areas, a ventilation point and a step-free entrance.
- Write a rules sheet: permit, business name, FDA, qualifications, with phone numbers.
- Choose one mobile or home-service idea and list the kit and the price.
Phone the Assembly
Phone STMA and ask what a small salon or barbershop must do to open and what it costs this year. Write the answers, date and name.
Unit 7 · Market yourself and manage the money
Your phone is your shop window. Your records are your memory. Your price is your promise.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Market online and offline | runs WhatsApp Business, Google Business Profile, signage and referrals |
| 7.2 Show your work | keeps a portfolio with permission and care |
| 7.3 Price properly | prices a service with all costs and a margin |
| 7.4 Keep records | records income, costs, deposits and stock |
Range. The trainee's planned business. Evidence. Portfolio; price list; records; quote.
Market yourself
- WhatsApp Business. Free, with a business profile and automatic greeting and away messages. Put your hours, location, price list and booking rule on it.
- Google Business Profile. Free; puts you on Google Maps with photos, hours and reviews.
- Portfolio. Before-and-after photos, always with the client's permission, on WhatsApp Status, Instagram and TikTok. One Ghanaian braider's before-and-after video reached over 1.2 million views. Ghanaian small fashion and beauty firms use WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook to reach customers.
- Signage. A board you can read from the road with name, services and phone number.
- Referrals. Every 10th cut half price; a small thank-you for bringing a friend.
- Clean shop, clean tools. Customers say they choose for hygiene.
Price properly
Add up every cost, then add your profit. Include rent, power, products, blades and disinfectant, wig hair or braiding hair, your permit and registration, and your own wage.
Price a braiding job
Example figures, not market data: braiding hair GH¢120, your time 5 hours at GH¢40 an hour, products and supplies GH¢20, a share of rent and power GH¢30. You want a 25% margin on total cost. (1) Total cost? (2) Price? (3) The client pays a 50% deposit. How much is it? (4) If a salon in Accra charges GH¢450 for a similar style, what is the difference?
Launch kit, Level 2
- Set up a WhatsApp Business profile with greeting, away message, price list and booking rule.
- Create or draft a Google Business Profile with photos and hours.
- Build a portfolio of 20 photos with written permission.
- Make a shop sign design and a price list including aftercare.
- Start a record book: income, costs, deposits, stock, apprentice allowances.
Ten reviews
After ten real clients, ask each for a short written or voice review you may share.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Competent / Not Yet Competent | The two possible results of a CBT assessment |
| Contact time | How long a tool must stay in disinfectant |
| Density | How thick the hair is on the scalp |
| Deposit | Part of the price paid before the service |
| Elasticity | How far hair stretches and returns |
| Neutralising shampoo | Shampoo that stops a relaxer working |
| Porosity | How easily hair takes in and loses water |
| Sharps | Blades and needles that can cut skin |
| Traction alopecia | Hair loss from long-term pulling |
| TIN | Taxpayer Identification Number |
| Wig frontal / closure | Lace piece that forms the hairline or part |
Logbook
Copy these pages into an exercise book. Your logbook is part of your assessment evidence.
- Unit 1: blood-spill drill; hygiene log; vaccine enquiry
- Unit 2: hair analysis sheets; patch-test records; label hunt
- Unit 3: thirty cuts with guards and times; photos
- Unit 4: braid and wig timing log; care card; photos
- Unit 5: booking record; role-play notes; apprentice agreement
- Unit 6: rules sheet; site report; shop layout; phone-call notes
- Unit 7: portfolio; price list; record book; reviews
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- What do you do first if a client's skin is cut during a service?
- How are clippers disinfected compared with combs?
- Name two scalp conditions that need referral.
- Name four things to check about hair before a relaxer.
- What do you do if a client says the relaxer burns?
- How long before dyeing is the patch test?
- What is traction alopecia?
- How long should braids stay in at most?
- Why must you not seal braid ends with hot water on bare skin?
- Name two things needed to register a business name.
- Name two free ways to market yourself online.
- Why take a deposit for a long style?
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: your product labels and safety data sheets; HSE and OSHA hairdressing pages; the GHABA office in your zone; the STMA licensing desk; the Registrar of Companies' fee schedule.
What this module does not cover: hand-by-hand fade, extension and wig-making steps (taught in person), keratin and Brazilian blowout as a specialty, nails, skin and make-up, first-aid certificates, and Takoradi salon prices (not found; compare locally).
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.