Rasta student wants court to order Achimota-School to admit him

Rasta student wants court to order Achimota-School to admit him

Tyron Iras Marhguy, one of the Rastafarian students refused

admission by Achimota School, has filed a suit at the High Court

(Human Rights Division) to enforce his fundamental Human Rights.

According to some court documents sighted by Joy News, the

applicant is asking 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 characterised 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)”.

He has been denied admission to the Achimota School over his

failure to trim his dreadlocks. The school authorities have justified

the move with claims that it is against  the rules of the school to

admit students with dreadlocks, thus if the student

must be admitted, he must conform to the rules of the school.

 

This generated huge public debate, with a section of the public

questioning school authorities for the decision, while others

defended the move. A school of thought believes the decision

is discriminatory. Others say authorities are right since every student

must conform to the rules of the schools. The suit argued that the

denial of admission is a “violation of his (Tyrone Iras Marhguy’s) right

to dignity”. The document continues that “…

There is no lawful basis for Achimota School to interfere with the

applicant’s right to education based on his rasta through which he

manifests or expresses his constitutionally guaranteed right to

religion and to practice and manifest same.”

The application is seeking “an order directed at Achimota School to

immediately admit or enroll the applicant to continue with his

education unhindered.” The applicant is also seeking compensation

for the “inconvenience, embarrassment, waste of time, and violation

of his fundamental human rights and freedoms”.