An Accra High Court has ordered Achimota School to admit two Rastafarian students it denied admission over their refusal to cut their dreadlocks.
The Human Rights Division of the High Court presided over Justice Gifty Agyei Addo ruled that the fundamental human rights of two students cannot be limited by the rules in question.
Tyron Iras Marhguy and Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea sued the school’s Board of Governors, the Minister of Education, Ghana Education Service and the Attorney General to enforce their fundamental Human Rights.
The applicants asked the court to “declare that the failure and or refusal of the 1st Respondent (Achimota School Board of Governors) to admit or enroll the Applicant on the basis of his Rastafarian religious inclination, beliefs and culture characterized by his keeping of Rasta is a violation of his fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under the 1992 constitution particularly Articles 12(1), 23, 21(1)(b)(c)”.
The two students also wanted “an order directed at [Achimota School] to immediately admit or enrol the applicant to continue with his education unhindered.”
The applicants also sought compensation for the “inconvenience, embarrassment, waste of time, and violation of his fundamental human rights and freedoms”.
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