CS Magoha Has Ordered Schools To Allow Students To Wear Their Religious Attires

Prof. George Magoha, the cabinet secretary for education, has ordered all schools in the nation to permit pupils to wear religious garb including hijabs, turbans, and veils.

Speaking at the opening of a CBC classroom in Namgoi Secondary School in Nandi County, Prof. Magoha stated that the government has urged schools to abide by the direction to reduce religious prejudice in the nation.

“In terms of children’s dressing while at school, we have pronounced as the government that no child should be removed because of wearing a headgear whether it is a Muslim hijab, Christian sister attire or Akorino turban,” Magoha said.

“The instructions must be obeyed; let all children be given freedom in school to wear the hijab and Akorino, turban & all the others,” Magoha said.

The CS said the move came after cases of discrimination against some students on the basis of their religion had been reported.

“I have been informed that there are still some schools harassing the children because of the manner they dress & sometimes discriminating against them,” he said.
Magoha further asked the nation’s school administrators to support religion instruction in classrooms as one approach to enforcing discipline in students.

He urged the head teachers to provide places of worship in schools so that pupils could easily exercise their faith, arguing that doing so would assist develop their character.

“Where there are already Chaplains or Imams in schools they should encourage guidance, counselling & prayers. Where we don’t have such people, principals are encouraged to create some places,” the CS remarked.
The CS’s comments came just a few days after Muslim religious organizations criticized Magoha, accusing him of “religious discrimination” for his “Al Shabaab remarks” against a female Muslim journalist on Monday.

Magoha later expressed regret for the remarks.

Prof. Magoha reassured the schools that his government will have given roughly 10,000 classrooms to various schools by the conclusion of his term.

The cabinet secretary also requested that private primary school administration build junior secondary schools on their own.