Rastafarian religion can complicate matters for students refused admission – Vice President

Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Joseph Osei-Owusu said references to the Rastafarian religion and the 2 students who were denied enrollment at Achimota school can complicate matters for young men.

This, he says, is due to the misconception of some against certain practices of religion.

According to Mr. Osei-Owusu, Rastafarianism is mainly associated with smoking weed, a practice which he believes could make the situation worse by solving the problem of admitting the 2 first-year students.

“I worry when I try to make Rastafarianism a religion. If we do this, we complicate the situation. The reason is this: if you study Rastafarianism, it includes smoking weed and weed is an illegal substance. It is not a substance that is allowed to smoke ”.

Rather, the argument, he said, should be based on whether the school authorities have the right to deny a student’s admission on the basis of their appearance or hairstyle and not on the basis of religion.

He said, “We can look at it from the point of view of ‘Does the Achimota school have the right to prescribe a way of dressing for one’s appearance, including hairstyle? If we look at it from this point of view, we can discuss the issue at all levels. Just that if we introduce religion, we complicate things.

“The condition is that a young man having been admitted to the Achimota school having obtained the appropriate marks, the only thing is that the school has rules and regulations. You can use this school for training purposes if you comply with these rules and regulations. Does this amount to denying him the right to education? This is the question we must answer, ”he stressed.

His submission comes after authorities at Achimota School last week turned down two students assigned there under the Computer School Placement System (CSSPS) because school rules do not allow students with dreadlocks to be admitted.

School officials have insisted that unless students cut off their dreadlocks, they will not be admitted.

The two students, however, maintained their position and refused to cut their locks, claiming that keeping their hair was the religious right of the Rastafarian.

Nonetheless, the vice president is of the opinion that if the boys are unwilling to compromise with the school directive, they should refrain from saying that they have been refused admission to the school.

“If you choose not to follow it (the school guidelines), I don’t think you should say I was denied education.