Dreadlocks Saga: Achimota school sued again
Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea, one of the two Rastafarian students at the center of the Achimota School admission brouhaha has also sued the school over his rejection.
Per copies of the court documents sighted, Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea being a minor, is suing through his next friend, Marvin Palmer, and directed at the Board of Governors of Achimota School, the Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Education, and the Attorney General.
He is praying the Human Rights Division of the High Court to compel Achimota School to admit him into the school for the purposes of his education.
He is also asking the court to stop the school from ever discriminating against him on the basis of his religion and or creed.
Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea prayed to the court to among other things make “A declaration that requiring Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea a child and adherent of the Rastafari religion and creed, to either cut his hair or forfeit admission into Achimota School, a public senior high school, is a violation of his rights to dignity…contrary to articles 15 and 28(3) of the Constitution, 1992 and section 13 of the Children’s Act 1998 (Act 560)”.
“A declaration that requiring Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea a child and adherent of the Rastafari religion and creed, to either cut his hair or forfeit admission into Achimota School, a public senior high school, without first providing him an opportunity to be heard, is a violation of his right to due process and natural justice.”
“An order directed at the respondent’s herein to permit Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea a child and adherent of the Rastafari religion and creed, to enter Achimota School for the purpose of completing registration formalities and to begin academic work; and an order of perpetual injunction directed at the respondent’s herein either by themselves, their agents or assigns restraining them from further violating the rights of Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea a child and adherent of the Rastafari religion and creed.”
Meanwhile, the other student, Tyron Marhguy has already sued Achimota School over the same forum last week seeking the same relief.
Students denied admission
About three weeks ago it was reported that Achimota School had denied two Rastafarians admission to the school, although they had been placed there by the Ghana Education Service’s Computerized School Selection and Placement Service (CSSPS).
The school insisted that its regulation states that all students or potential students maintain a low haircut as a requirement for admission.
It, therefore, said the two Rastafarians must cut their dreadlocks if they want to be granted admission. The two students insisted and were consequently denied admission.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) subsequently ordered GES to admit the students, but it made a U-turn on its stance.
One of the Rastafarians who went to seek admission at his second choice of school, Saint John’s Grammar School was again refused admission there because of his dreadlocks.
Following calls for legal processes to the initiated against the school, Tyron Marhguy sued Achimota School.
