The court on Tuesday ordered Olympic High School to re-admit a 'rasta girl'
in Form One with immediate effect pending the judgement of her case.
Judge Chacha Mwita gave the orders in a petition in which the girl's father John Mwendwa sued the school for refusing to admit his dreadlocked daughter unless she shaved.
"While in school, the minor shall keep her hair neat and fully covered by a turban, black in colour until further orders of the court," Mwita said.
The judgement will be delivered on May 3.
This means the girl will finish her first term at the school.
The girl's
father filed the suit arguing that refusal by the school to admit his daughter violated her freedom of religion.
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The hairstyle is part of her religious belief
- Rastafarianism, he said.
Mwendwa testified that the whole family is Rastafari and is forbidden
by the Bible to cut
hair.
Mwendwa, alias Prophet, listed
the school’s board of management, the Education ministry and the Attorney General as respondents.
The girl had the dreadlocks throughout her primary education.
But on
January 10, she was pulled out of a classroom soon after admission at
Olympic High school and
summoned by the deputy headteacher.
He condemned and dismissed her for having and concealing the dreadlocks.
On January 16, Education CS Amina Mohammed said the school should unconditionally
admit the girl.
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