Family of Rasta student sues Achimota School, demands compensation

The family of Tyrone Iras Marhguy has sued authorities of Achimota Senior High School for discrimination on the basis of his dreadlocks.

The suit filed at a High Court as reported by Citinews, cites the school’s authorities as having violated the rights of the student by their decision to reject his admission because of his dreadlocks.

The family of Iras Marghuy is thus demanding that the court makes a declaration to the effect that the school’s action is a “a violation of his right to education guaranteed under Articles 25(1)(b), 28(4) of the 1992 Constitution.”

His family again has argued that the school also violated his right to dignity.

“…There is no lawful basis for [Achimota School] to interfere with the applicant’s right to education based on his Rasta through which he manifests or expresses his constitutionally guaranteed right to religion and to practice and manifest same,” the family has argued in the lawsuit.

As part of its demands, the family wants “an order directed at [Achimota School] to immediately admit or enroll the applicant to continue with his education unhindered.”

They are also demanding a compensation, for the “inconvenience, embarrassment, waste of time, and violation of his fundamental human rights and freedoms”.

Tyrone Iras Marhguy together with another Rastafarian student, Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea were denied admission by Achimota School, having been placed in the school through the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

As part of their efforts to emphasis the academic competence of their ward, the family of Iras Marhguy attached his results to the lawsuit.

Marhguy who was the head boy in his Junior High School, performed creditably well in the Basic Certificate Exam but has since the beginning of school activities for first year Senior High School Students been at home due to the refusal of the School to accept his admission.

Authorities of Achimota School gave his parents the option of cutting off his dreadlocks for their decision to be rescinded.



The Ghana Education Service which had earlier directed the school to rescind its decision later made a U-turn on its order.