GES should find new schools for Rasta students – Africa Education Watch

The Africa Education Watch is urging the Ghana Education Service (GES) to look for admission for the two Rastafarians who were denied admission by Achimota School.

This follows the dismissal of an application for a mandatory injunction aimed at forcing the Achimota School to admit Oheneba Nkrabea, one of the students, pending the final determination of the substantive case.

The second student, Tyrone Marhguy, will have a similar injunction motion heard later today.

The school has asked the parents to cut off their wards' hair or find another school for them.

Speaking to Citi News, the Executive Secretary of the Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, again stressed that the educational welfare of the students is paramount.

“…at this critical time, I would have wished that the Ghana Education Service would have facilitated the admission of these children in other schools,” he said.

Whilst he acknowledges that it is within their right to seek justice in court, Mr. Asare added that “judging from the position of the court on matters like this, I am not too optimistic about the outcome.”

“That is not to say that it should prohibit attempts by the child and his dad to seek justice. We can only wish them the best of luck.”

The saga has been ongoing since March 19 during which the two students have not been able 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).

Though the 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.

---citinewsroom