
Muslim students from Maina Wanjigi Secondary School in Nairobi’s Eastleigh 4th Street area were Monday morning barred from entering the school following a religious dispute.
Trouble started at the school last week on Thursday after a Christian girl was converted to Islam which is against Ministry of Education regulations. The student’s parents reported to school with her and raised the issue of her conversion before the school administration.
The students further accused the administration of refusing girls to wear their headwraps (hijabs) and maligning the male students as al Shabaab. The students who had to be dispersed by police added that the school was refusing them to hold Friday prayers.
The school’s principal Zuhura Raja led the administration in reprimanding the Muslim students for converting the Christian girl to islam and reverted the girl to Christianity. The student body which is mainly Muslim protested and even became violent.
Section 34 (2) of The Education Act 2013 however states “A school or person responsible for admission shall not discriminate against any child seeking admission on any ground including ethnicity, gender, sex, religion, race, colour or social origin, age, disability, language or culture.”
The students were directed to report back; Form ones on Monday, Form Twos on Tuesday, Form threes on Wednesday, and Form fours on Thursday.
Parents who have reported back today are however expressing displeasure with the treatment of their children. The school has about 700 students.
Source: The Star
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