Ghanaians hail ruling on Achimota dreadlocks students as ‘progressive’

Ghanaians throw weight behind court ruling which direct Achimota School to admit students with dreadlocks.

Dis be after de school refuse de students admission sake of dema hair.

Lawyer for de two students, Wayoe Ghanamanniti, talk BBC Pidgin say de ruling dey restore human rights in practice.

He explain say dis ruling dey cut across sake of dem seek proper interpretation to Achimota regulation as against de right to freedom of religion in de Constitution.

According to Lawyer Wayoe Ghanamanniti, "moving forward any scenario where someone dey believe in Rastafarianism dis ruling dey cover am."

"De ruling lay clear de meaning to right to religion, that be if de religion be known globally" he add.

Accra High Court in landmark ruling argue say de 1992 Constitution of Ghana dey protect de right of de children to education, sake of that denying dem education sake of dema hair be wrong.

De decision however excite most Ghanaians who feel say dis be progressive.



Despite pushback from Achimota School to maintain control over how students for look, people feel say dis ruling dey give support to the need to remove traditional control mentality from school.

The ruling on the Rasta boys vs. Achimota Sch. case has rekindled some hope in me about the Judiciary. It's a vital ruling against very strong establishments & beliefs to the point that even Achimota School could boldly & blatantly disrespect a GES directive.#citicbs.@Citi973. pic.twitter.com/B1fPih7k3y— Afanyi Dadzie (@AfanyiDadzie) June 1, 2021

But a cross section of de public and pressure groups dey dey call for de resignation of de Achimota School headmistress sake of she defy Ghana Education Service directive which de court uphold.

How Ghana Court order Achimota School to admit students dem deny admission sake of dreadlocks

High Court for Accra on Monday 31 May, 2021 order Achimota School to admit two students who dem deny admission sake of dema dreadlocks.

Justice Gifty Addo of de Human Rights Division of High Court preside over de case.

Addo rule say de school no fit limit de fundamental human rights of de two students sake of dema hair.

De decision of de school in March spark debate among Ghanaians who either agree or disagree plus decision to allow or disallow de student from schooling plus dreads.

Lawyers of de students file case against Achimota School after authorities deny de students admission until dem cut dema dreads.

Parents of de students challenge de decision of de school who refuse to grant dem admission.

De lawyers in suing Achimota School den Ghana Education Service pray de court to:

"Declare say failure and or refusal of de 1st Respondent (Achimota School Board of Governors) to admit or enroll de applicant on de basis of Rastafarian religious inclination.

"Also based on beliefs den culture which dem dey display through keeping of Rasta hair be violation of en fundamental human rights.

"And freedoms which de 1992 constitution dey guarantee, particularly Articles 12(1), 23, 21(1)(b)(c)".

De applicants also request for compensation sake of de "inconvenience, embarrassment, waste of time, den violation of fundamental human rights and freedoms".