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Malawi High Court Orders Schools to Allow Dreadlocks

Lameck Masina

   BLANTYRE -- Rastafarian Feniya Mbewe was upset when the Blantyre Girls
   Primary School refused to enroll her daughter, Makeda Mbewe, because of
   her hair.

   The school said the girl's dreadlocks were against a policy requiring
   students to have their hair shortly trimmed.

   So, Mbewe took the school to court -- and won.

   Malawi's High Court on Jan. 14 ordered all public schools to allow
   students with dreadlocks.

   "We are very much excited because in this battle, we were not fighting
   for Makeda alone but all other children who are turned back from
   school," Mbewe said. "The problem was widespread."

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