Mvita MP Mr Abdulswamad Nassir .(photo/nationmedia)School heads have been urged to stop discrimination of students on the basis of their religion in their schools.
There has been a battle between students and school heads on the students' dressing code in the country. In some schools, students are forced to dress up in a same way despite the difference religious background of some students. Legislators from the Coast region are asking for changes in the Basic Education Act to school heads who practice religious discrimination against students responsible for this crime.
Abdulswamad Nassir (Mvita) and Zulekha Hassan (Kwale Woman Rep) raised their concern about the discrimination of students in various academic institutions on the basis of their religion. The MPs went ahead and even disclosed that some bright students were denied an opportunity to enroll to national schools in the recent Form One selection on the basis of their religion.
“Students have been denied their right to education because they profess, among other faiths Islam, Akorino, Seventh-day, Sikh. It is wrong to do this because the Constitution proclaims the right to worship,” Ms Hassan said.
Dressing code for students has also faced protests from those who strongly believe in there religious backgrounds like the Akorino, Seventh-day Adventist, Sikh faiths and Islams.
For instance, it's reported that some schools have banned the wearing of veils by female Muslim students, a crucial requirement of their faith. To some extent in some schools those students who worship on Saturday are barred from worshipping on this day as required by their faith.Recently, the Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i urged headteachers respect the right of students to worship in schools. However, Mr Nassir said that religious discrimination is on going despite of this directive.
“We are even going to take it further. We are not pleading because you cannot discriminate based on religion, which is in our Constitution. Let the students learn in an environment where all their rights, including that of worship, are respected." Mr Nassir said.Even after finding it's way to Supreme Court, this dispute stays unsolved as some school sponsors vow not to allow dressing code according to the religion of students.
More than six students, earlier this year were sent home from national schools for refusing to remove their turbans, leading to a protest by the Akorino members. This is a concern which if not dealt with with immediate effect will haunt and create a negative impact on our generation and the future generations.