Ghanaian student celebrates dreadlock reprieve

A Rastafarian high school student in Ghana has told the BBC that he is surprised but excited that a court ruled in his favour allowing him to go to school with his dreadlocks.

“After the judgement had passed and we had won, it felt so exciting,” Tyrone Marhguy told the BBC Focus on Africa programme.

The prestigious Achimota Secondary School in the capital, Accra, had refused to allow Tyrone and a fellow student admission – unless they cut their hair.

Rastafarians consider dreadlocks a part of their religious tradition.

But the school argued it would have dire consequences on the school’s discipline among other things if they came to school with their locks.

The Human Rights Division of the High Court said the school’s rules could not override the fundamental human rights of the students.

“I thought they [the school] would focus on education and not on appearance,” Tyrone said.

“Hair does not really define the characteristic of a person, considering that a lot of people have this mindset that having dreadlocks makes you a bad person.”

His father Tereo Marhguy, who has been had dreadlocks for more than 30 years, says he still faces discrimination because of his appearance in Ghana.