Achimota Rasta student on US$160,000 GIS scholarship – Uncle reveals

It has been reported that one of the students who was initially denied admission into Achimota School has been admitted by the Ghana International School.

It is further being reported that Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea has been given a scholarship to pursue his Junior High School education in the prestigious school.

A supposed uncle of the student, Kojo Meziah Baako in a Facebook post, disclosed that Nkrabea is on a full scholarship valued at USD$ $160,000 at GIS.

“My nephew Oheneba NKRABEA received a full scholarship at the GIS Ghana International School valued at $160,000 in the most prestigious school in Ghana.

While the battle is in court and our struggle continues to defeat neo-colonialism!!!” he posted.

The disclosure by Kojo Meziah comes after Achimota School and the Attorney General’s Office appealed a court decision that overturned the school’s refusal to admit the Rasta students.

Meanwhile, Ras Nkrabea, father of Oheneba says he is now focused on the education of his son who has moved from Achimota School to GIS.

The Achimota School and the Attorney General have gone back to contest the ruling of the High Court which passed a judgement earlier this year that the two Rasta students be admitted by the school.

The students and their parents sued the school’s Board of Governors, the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, and the Attorney General for refusing to enroll them on the basis of the students wearing dreadlocks.

The school refused to admit the students as it said their dreadlocks was in variance with its rules and regulations. The asked that the students do away with it or lose their admission.

However, a Human Rights Court of the Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Gifty Agyei Addo on May 13, ruled that the fundamental human rights of the two students; Tyrone Iras Marghuy and Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea cannot be limited by the rules of the school.

The court held that Achimota School and other respondents in the case failed to justify the position of the school in denying the students admission.

The respondents have however gone back to court and are arguing that the High Court erred when it held that the rules and regulations of the school with regard to ensuring uniformity in appearance are unlawful, and interferes with one’s religious rights.

The school is thus urging the Appeals Court to set aside the judgement of the High Court and order the plaintiffs to comply with the school’s regulations if they choose to be students of the school.

The Attorney General in support of the school’s appeal is arguing that the decision by Achimota School does not interfere with the right to the education of the boys.

“The learned Judge erred when she held that the regulation of the 1st Respondent requiring that students keep their hair low amounted to an illegal and unconstitutional attempt to suspend the manifestation of the Applicant’s guaranteed freedom to practice and manifest his religion….

“The learned Judge erred when she held that Respondent’s actions of asking the Applicant to step aside during the registration process are a violation of his right to dignity especially when the 2nd Respondent had disputed the veracity of that fact,” parts of the appeal by the AG’s office stated.