Rastafarians in Ghana have condemned what they say is a discrimination by the Ghana Education Service against their children who attend public schools across the country with dreadlocks.
The group, who form the Rastafari Council of Ghana, claims Rastafarian children across the country are usually asked by school authorities to either shave their dreadlocks or leave the schools.
A statement issued by the Communications Director of the Council, Ras Kofi Collins, claimed some schools in the Central and Greater Accra regions have even refused to accept Rastafarian children who wear locks to school.
“Some of the students involved were among the students with the highest grades in their region,” the statement said.
But this, according to the Council, is a clear violation of the children’s constitutional rights as guaranteed in Article 21 which gives Ghanaians among other freedoms, the freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such practice.
The Council explained that the children’s locks are manifestation of their faith as Rastafarians, and as much as the constitution of Ghana guarantees freedom of religion and expression, the children must be allowed to wear their locks in class.
The Council said it has met with the Director of Secondary Education at the Ghana Education Service to discuss the issue and are waiting for feedback from the GES.
Meanwhile, it has called on the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs and CHRAJ to intervene in the matter to ensure that the children’s human rights are not violated.
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