Court dismisses Rasta student’s application seeking to force Achimota School to admit him

Court dismisses Rasta student’s application seeking to force Achimota School to admit him

The Human Rights Court 1 Division of the High Court has dismissed an application to force Achimota Senior High School to admit Oheneba Nkrabea, a Rastafarian student, temporarily while waiting for the final determination of the substantive case in which he is fighting the school for not admitting him because he wears dreadlocks.

In his case, Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea, through his father, argued that he is disadvantaged, as he remains at home waiting for the final decision of the court on the substantive case while his colleagues are in school.

But the court, presided over by Her Ladyship Gifty Adjei Addo on Monday, 12 April 2021, said forcing the school to temporarily admit the student would be prejudicial to the substantive matter.

In her reasoned opinion, expediting the trial will be in the interest of the student, as the mandatory injunction would have allowed him to be in school for only 10 days.

She, however, granted an order for the first respondent, Achimota School, to file its response seven days after being served instead of the statutory 21 days.

Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea dragged Achimota School, the Board of Governors of Achimota School, the Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Education and the Attorney General to court, praying the Human Rights Division of the High Court to compel Achimota School to admit him for the purposes of his education.

He was denied admission for having dreadlocks.

The country is divided on the issue. While some argue he should be given admission, others say it will set a bad example for the future.