Achimota School must give reasons for denying Rastafarian students – Lawyer

In the letter dated March 23, 2021, the lawyer said: "My clients inform me that their wards who have duly qualified and been placed in your school, by the Ghana Education Service have been refused entry to begin their academic work.

"Kindly state your reasons for your actions to enable me to advise my clients accordingly, as academic work has begun in all Senior High Schools."

The issue of Rastafarians made waves in the media as two Rastafarian students were denied admission at the Achimota School on their first day when they reported to the school in dreadlocks.

Subsequently, the Ghana Education Service (GES) directed the school to admit the students.

The Director-General of the GES, Prof. Kwasi-Opoku Amankwa stated that no school can deny students admission on the basis of their religion.

However, the GES rescinded its earlier decision while throwing its support to Achimota School for refusing to admit Rastafarian students.

The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu, on his part also said Rastafarians should establish their own senior high schools (SHS) if they want to admit students with dreadlock in the country.

Addressing the press in Accra on Monday, March 22, 2021, Carbonu said Achimota School did not refuse to admit the students but the school only spelled out the rules and regulations of the school to the parent and the student.

He said: "I don't even know why the Rastafarians don't have their own schools, because they've been in this country [Ghana] for a very long time."

"We expect that if you want to be in that school, you obey the rules and regulations. The rules and regulations of an institution are not chosen and picked by individuals, they become standard and ought to be obeyed by anyone who wants to access the school," he added.