The Human Rights Court 1 Division of the High Court in Accra, has ordered Achimota School to admit Tyrone Marhguy, the dreadlocked Rastafarian boy into the school.
The Court, in the same spirit, directed Achimota School to also admit Oheneba Nkrabea, another Rastafarian student into the school.
Speaking after the judgement, Tyrone Marhguy, said the court’s decision was part of “a great story.”
“The first time I walked through the gate of Achimota, the first thing I did was to check the time [I arrived] because I knew one day I would be telling a story with it. I had no idea I would be telling one great story in the courtroom about how I was discriminated [against] and how I am back.”
On going back to school and the possibility of facing further stigma, Tyrone Marhguy said “I will know how to handle it and to straighten things up when [the stigmatisation] starts.”
The saga has been ongoing since March 19, 2021, with the two students unable to start academic work with their colleagues.
They were placed at the school through the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) having satisfied the entry requirement by creditably passing their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Tyrone Iras Marhguy’s results were attached to the lawsuit to emphasise his academic competence.
The school had asked the boys’ parents to cut off their wards’ hair or find another school for them.
Though the Ghana Education Service (GES) initially directed Achimota School to admit the students, it backtracked after pushback from the school’s stakeholders and further engagements.
In defence of the school’s decision, the Achimota School PTA said its revised rules and regulations from August 2020 indicate that students must keep their hair low, simple and natural.
Source: Citi News
