The Attorney-General’s (AG) Department and the Achimota School have filed an appeal challenging the High Court’s ruling that the Achimota School admits two Rastafarian students.
The Rastafarian students, Tyrone Marhguy and Oheneba Nkrabea had earlier dragged the Achimota School Board of Governors, the Minister of Education, Ghana Education Service, and the Attorney General to court for refusing to enroll them with their dreadlocks in accordance with the School’s regulations.
On 31st May, 2021, the Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court presided by Justice Gifty Agyei Addo ruled that the Rastafarian students be admitted and that the rules of the school ought not limit the fundamental human rights of the students.
But the Achimota School and the AG have appealed the ruling of Justice Gifty Agyei Addo at the Appeals Court, praying the court to set aside the judgement of the High Court and order the students to comply with the school’s regulations by trimming their hair if they choose to remain as students of the school.
The AG’s department insisted that the Achimota School’s stance for the students to trim their hair does not constitute an interference with the students’ right to education.
“The learned Judge erred when she held that the regulation of the 1st Respondent requiring that students keep their hair low amounted to an illegal and unconstitutional attempt to suspend the manifestation of the Applicant’s guaranteed freedom to practice and manifest his religion….
“The learned Judge erred when she held that Respondent’s actions of asking the Applicant to step aside during the registration process are a violation of his right to dignity especially when the 2nd Respondent had disputed the veracity of that fact,” parts of the appeal by the AG’s office stated.