Marsabit parents protest hijab ban at St Theresa Primary School
The parents accused the school of discriminating against Muslim students and called on the administration to reverse its policy on religious attire
Even after Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok last week warned school heads against religious discrimination of learners, parents at St Theresa’s Girls Primary and Junior School in Marsabit have complained that the school continues to deny their daughters the right to wear the hijab.
Appearing before the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Education on Thursday, February 26, the PS emphasized that wearing the hijab is a constitutional right, warning schools against violating learners’ rights.
“The law is very clear; there should be no discrimination whatsoever in matters of religion or faith,” he said.
His comments came after St Mary’s Lwak Girls High School sent home a student for wearing a hijab. The PS, however, ordered the school to rescind its decision and readmit the student.
Bitok’s assertive remarks, however, appear not to have shaken the administration of St Theresa’s Girls Primary and Junior School, a publicly funded institution that has maintained its stance banning the wearing of the hijab.
On Monday, March 2, parents staged a peaceful protest at the school, demanding that their daughters be allowed to wear the hijab as part of the school uniform.
The parents accused the school of discriminating against Muslim students and called on the administration to reverse its policy on religious attire — an issue that has remained unresolved for over five years.
They insist that the hijab is a constitutional religious right and that Muslim girls should not face exclusion from education because of their faith.
The angry parents were addressed by Sheikh Bashir Somo of the Marsabit Interfaith Council, who urged calm as the Ministry of Education addresses the matter. The Marsabit County Education Quality Assurance Officer, Gollo Guyo, assured the protesters that their concerns would be handled by the relevant authorities.
The parents, who camped at the school, said they would continue peaceful advocacy until a fair solution is reached.
Two years ago, hundreds of parents from Maikona Primary School in Marsabit Sub-County took to the streets to protest against a hijab ban imposed by the school’s administration.
Despite clear directives from the Ministry of Education issued in March 2022 instructing school heads not to prohibit the wearing of the hijab or compel Muslim students to attend church services, many public schools across the country — particularly church-founded institutions — continue to flout the directives with impunity.