The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has urged the Ghana Education Service and the authorities of Achimota School, to respect the High Court ruling by admitting the Rastafarian students.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Joseph Atsu Homadzi, the National Chairman of GNECC and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The Coalition is urging the Ministry of Education to call for a national stakeholders dialogue to introduce national guidelines on such issues.

This, the statement explained, would ensure that the best interest of all Ghanaian children and other stakeholders are catered for.

On May 31, 2021, the Human Rights Division of the Accra High Court gave a ruling in favour of the students.

The court ruled that the religious rights of the applicants had been violated by the Achimota School as they sought to enforce time-tested and well-known rules of the School.

The court further directed the School to admit the two applicants.

The Achimota School Board disagreed with the ruling and directed its Lawyers to appeal against the ruling.

Lawyer for the two Rastafarian students, Tyrone Iras Marhguy and Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea 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 the explanation that they had to shave their dreadlocks in accordance with the School’s regulations.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education, was surprised by the decision of Achimota School to take a unilateral decision to appeal the court ruling without engaging the Ministry.

He said there would be a meeting Wednesday, June 2 with the headmistress of Achimota School on the issue.