Dreadlocks’ care is no tiresome task.
It is a simple act that entails the washing, but not combing, of hair and, then, while it is still wet, twisting it into tight braids or ringlets— then letting it hang down on all sides or letting it flow whichever direction it wants.
However, this seemingly simple action has, for far too long, been landing Malawi’s Rastafarian community in trouble, as church-owned schools have not been as accommodating to Rastafarian children.
“Since I turned 16, I have never combed my hair. I decided at that age that I was a Rastaman and I am proud of that,” says Rasta Martin from Chiphala in Salima District.
But, if he thought his children, too, would be as happy, he was hugely mistaken.
“When I took my child to enroll in a primary school run by one of the churches, I was told point blank that my child would be not be enrolled unless he cut his hair. For your information, my child took the Rastafarian path, too,” he says.
In Blantyre and all over the country, this has been the case in church-run but government-subvented schools too.
Some Rastafarians and organisations could not stand this level of “discrimination”, such that they pursued the legal route.
On May 8 this year, the High Court declared as unlawful some public and private schools’ tendency of forcing learners and students with dreadlocks to shave their hair before being enrolled in school.
Not surprisingly, the Rastafarian community heaved a sigh of relief.
On the said date, the High Court, in a case involving the State, the Attorney General, Education Minister, Education Division Manager (Southern Region) and Blantyre Girls Primary Secondary School Head teacher, declared that the government policy that requires all learners, including children of the Rastafarian community, to cut their hair before admission into government schools, is unlawful.
The court went further to order that the policy be abolished immediately and that the government should issue a circular to all government schools by June 30 2023, effectively allowing all Rastafarian children, with or without dreadlocks, to be enrolled in such schools.
However, some schools have been reluctant to let Rastafarian children in.
And, while they are at it, other players in the education sector have started playing ball.
Take, for instance, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Blantyre Synod Education Department.
On Wednesday this week, it disclosed that it will be allowing children from the Rastafarian community to be keeping their dreadlocks in the synod’s assisted schools.
Moses Kasitomu, who is the education secretary, said they have already made the 34th Biennial Assembly, which was recently held in Blantyre, aware of the arrangement.
“We made the assembly aware that, at the moment, the Ministry of Education wants us to open up to children of the Rastafarian faith to have their dreadlocks as well as Muslims to put on their Hijabs in our schools.
“So we, as educators in Malawi, have what we call assisted schools and thought it was right to sensitise delegates that they should not be surprised if they see such students being admitted to the schools,” Kasitomu said.
Meanwhile, Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance Executive Director Victor Mhango has commended the synod for respecting the children’s right to education.
“We hope that other institutions will emulate this example,” Mhango said.
How things have changed.
Just in June this year, Mhango was lamenting continued discrimination of Rastafarian children.
That month, Rastafarians, through Mhango’s organisation, wrote the Ministry of Education, complaining that their children were still at home after being denied their right to education.
“For instance, on June 1 2023, we received a complaint that at Chipasula Secondary School, a Rastafarian student was denied admission despite the court’s ruling.
“Upon following up with officials at the institution, they told us that they, indeed, refused to admit the students because the school was yet to receive a circular on the same [from the Ministry of Education],” Mhango said.
He further indicated that his organisation reminded the ministry to issue a circular allowing Rastafarian children admission into government schools by June 30 2023, as stated by the court.
The Constitution of Malawi, in Section 25, stipulates that all persons are entitled to education.
But, sometimes, not all things prescribed in the Constitution are followed to the letter, as has been the case with Rastafarians.
Rastafarianism is a religious and political movement that began in Jamaica in the 1930s and has been adopted by many groups around the globe.
However, despite having origin rooted in history, unconditional acceptance remains wishful thinking.
