Stop Violating Hijab Rights, Education PS warns schools as he orders Lwak Girls to admit student

Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has issued orders directing St Mary's Lwak Girls, in Siaya County to readmit a student who was forced out of the school for wearing the hijab.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Education on Thursday, February 26, the PS ordered the immediate readmission of Samira Nasib Ramadhan emphasizing that wearing the hijab was a constitutional right as he warned schools of violating the rights of learners

Appearing before the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Education on Thursday, February 26, the PS emphasized that wearing the hijab is a constitutional right and warned schools against violating learners’ rights.

“The law is very clear, there should be no discrimination whatsoever in matters of religion or faith,” he said, adding that the matter is under investigation.

“I will ensure that the girl goes back to school as soon as possible, even today,” he added.

PS Bitok personally spoke to Samira’s father, Nasib Ali Ramadhan, assuring him that the student’s rights at the school would be respected.

Samira and her Nasib Ali Ramadhan

However, her father expressed concerns about sending her back to the school due to the harassment she experienced. “She is now settled in her new school where she is comfortable. It will be difficult for her to return,” he told Sahifa Media.

The directive from the PS came after Samira shared her tribulations on a local TV station detailing the harassment she encountered went. The clip went viral on social media, sparking widespread discussion and drawing public attention to the matter.

Samira Nasib Ramadhan, who joined the school in Grade 10, found herself embroiled in a battle to exercise her constitutional right to wear the hijab amid opposition from the school administration, which maintained that the attire was against school policy.

Though founded by the Catholic Church, Lwak Girls, a Cluster 1 (C1) school, is a government-funded institution where taxpayers cover tuition and operational expenses. Ironically, nuns—who, according to the Catholic faith, are mandated to wear headscarves—were at the forefront of opposing the student’s decision to wear the headscarf.

“When I joined the school, I was given assurance that I would be allowed to wear the hijab, but this was not to be, as I was later constantly told that it was against the school policies,” the fifteen-year-old student said.

“I was summoned by the school matron, Madam Ogenga, who made it clear that the school policies do not allow wearing the hijab,” she told Sahifa Media.

“Sister Melanie and other nuns persistently urged me to remove the hijab. They even asked other Muslim students who had succumbed to the directive to prevail upon me to remove my hijab,” she narrated.

In addition, Samira said the school priest harassed her, demanding that she remove the hijab as it was not allowed in the school.

The entrance to St Mary's Lwak Girls High School

Despite constant pressure to abandon her Islamic dress, she maintained her religious principles, vowing not to give up the hijab.

Samira further claimed that the school forced Muslim students to attend church services at the school chapel, a directive she said went contrary to the constitutional principle of freedom of religion. She also revealed that the administration threatened to confiscate their prayer garments in an effort to prevent them from conducting the mandatory five daily prayers.

“They were infuriated when they learned that the students possessed prayer dresses,” she added.

While the school matron, Madam Ogenga, acknowledged to Sahifa Media that school policy forbade the wearing of the hijab, the deputy principal denied that the student was forced out because of the issue. He stated that she left for other reasons.

“Her father decided to come and take her to another school because of other reasons,” he told Sahifa.

However, her father, Nasib Ramadhan, said he could not endure the constant harassment his daughter was experiencing and decided to transfer her.

“They were even forcing her and other Muslim students to attend church services. This was not acceptable to me,” he said.

He made a passionate appeal to Muslim leaders to urgently intervene, stating that the girls are suffering as their constitutional right to freely practice their religion continues to be curtailed.

Ibrahim Otieno, who chairs the Siaya Muslims Association said the violations of the rights of Muslim students was prevalent in many church sponsored schools.

“These girls are not allowed to put on the hijab. They are not allowed to practice their religion. They are forced to participate in religious activities that are not of their choice,” he said.

Sahifa Media has established that students at the nearby Ng’iya Girls High School, under the sponsorship of the Anglican Church, are also reportedly not allowed to wear the hijab and are required to attend church services.

Despite clear directives from the Ministry of Education issued in March 2022 instructing County Directors of Education 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.