University students drawn from the Mt Kenya University, Kisii campus, have started an online petition to bar the institution from issuing exams on Saturdays arguing that it is a day of worship.
The petition argues that the institution has repeatedly ignored please from students who are Seventh Day Adventists and hence cannot sit for evaluation on Saturday.
The Commission for University Education (CUE) was also petitioned by the students to ensure that the campus is compliant with statutory and regulatory demands of the Universities Act, 2012.
The Act requires universities to adhere to guidelines of inclusivity which negate discrimination of students on the basis of religion and/or faith.
“This matter requires immediate attention to upholding equality and the constitutional right to worship pursuant to Article 32 (1) and (2) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010,” the petition read in part.
“As students practising Seventh-day Adventism, we are in church on Saturdays. Any exams held on Sabbath practically exclude us from participating.”
As such, the students explained that they were disenfranchised and excluded from fairly competing with fellow students who did not attend church service on Saturdays.
The students complained that missing exams set on worship day affected their academic transcripts and overall performance.
“Sign this petition in solidarity with students who are not only aggrieved but disenfranchised as a result of missing exams due to the scheduling conflict,” the students pleaded.
Over 1,000 students signed the petition. Kenyans.co.ke learnt that the University had put the students’ plea into consideration.
The students had demanded that the Dean of Mt Kenya Campus and the University Administration reschedule exams from Saturdays to alternate days within the week.
CUE was yet to respond on whether they had received the petition or acted upon it.
