Rastafarian student urges his parents to proceed to court over GES U-turn, feels depressed and disappointed
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| Oheneba Nkrabea |
One of the students with dreadlocks who was refused admission to Achimota School has urged his parents to file a complaint.
On March 22, 2021, Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea expressed disappointment and asked his parents to go to court in an interview with Blakk Rasta on Zylofon FM.
According to the 16-year-old, "I feel depressed and disappointed. I think they (his parents) must continue and go to court so that this matter will be solved."
He also admitted that he begged his parents to follow Achimota's orders and shave his dreadlocks, but they refused.
"At a point, I lost hope, I really wanted to go to Achimota because I saw Achimota as a good school".
Background of story
Authorities of the Achimota School in Accra had on Thursday turned home the dreadlocked students, asking the parents to cut off their hair or find another school for them.
The news has since caught national attention.
But after public outrage, the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Saturday instructed the authorities of Achimota School to admit the two first-year students who reported on campus with dreadlocks.
Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, Director-General of GES, told the Daily Graphic: “We have asked her [headmistress] to admit the students.
The student is a Rastafarian and if there is evidence to show that he is Rastafarian, all that he needs to do is to tie the hair neatly.”
But the GES on Monday, 22 March, backtracked on their earlier directive.
Following the GES directive on March 20, the Service called for a meeting with all the concerned parties and changed its position, this time, siding with the headmistress of Achimota.
Ras Tetteh Wayo, a lawyer and member of the Rastafari Council, told Joy News: “It was the GES that called for the meeting for the two parties, [that is], the parents of the students and the Headmistress of Achimota School…and one of the GES’ deputy directors who chaired the meeting was clear that that was just to quell the media outburst and to bring a bit of calm environment in the country. But the GES will still stand with the Headmistress of Achimota School’s position…...”
Ras Tetteh Wayo further stated that the GES “publication we all saw some few days [ago] was a façade, a fluke”.
“It was just to deceive the citizens of this country to believe that the GES is going to restore peace. So, Ghana should be aware of how the matter has now unfolded and at this meeting, GES supported the position of Achimota headmistress
By Kandey Alhassan
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