Members of Parliament from the Coastal region have spoken out against alleged religious discriminations being practised by various schools in the country, including the Kenya High School.
Kwale Woman Representative Zuleikha Hassan and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir called on the schools' administrations to stick to the law, citing various laws and court rulings that they were contravening.
Mrs Hassan stated: "There are schools like Kenya High which are mistreating and sending back Form One students who were told to study at those schools because of their religion.
"For example in Kenya High they don't allow Muslim girls to go to school with hijabs or a covering on their heads, which is a directive from their religion," she continued.
She went on to issue a stern warning to schools engaging in similar practices while noting that such practices affected students from other religions such as Sikh, Seventh Day Adventist (SDA), and Akorino.
[caption caption="Kwale Woman Representative Zuleikha Hassan"]
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Mrs Hassan further noted that the schools' practices were illegal as they recently secured a ruling at the Court of Appeal that guaranteed students of all religions the ability to practice their religions freely.
When reached for comment by Kenyans.co.ke, a Kenya High official stated that the school principal, Flora Mulatya, was unavailable and would respond in due course.
MP Nassir promised to amend the Basic Education Act to ensure tougher action was taken on school principals who contravene existing laws.
He stated: "There's been a memo that was tabled in this very Parliament from the Ministry of Education directing headteachers that they should not refuse students to go to school by basis that they are wearing a headscarf or by basis of the fact that their religious beliefs do not adhere to some of the school rules and regulations.
"The Constitution of Kenya is very clear and that is superior to any law including school regulations," Nassir noted.
[caption caption="Kenya High School students in a laboratory"]
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