Muslims for Human Rights have warned against religious discrimination in learning institutions saying it will polarize the nation.
MUHURI is a human rights organization operating at the Coast and Garissa.
Chairman Khelef Khalifa said non-Muslim schools should not force Muslim students, especially girls not to wear Hijab: a veil that covers the head and chest of Muslim women.
“Likewise, Muslims schools should not force non-Muslims to do what does not conform to their religion.
He said this was unconstitutional.
The concerns come in the wake of Supreme Court ruling that overturned the appellate ruling allowing Muslim students to wear hijabs in non-Muslim schools.
The Apex Court judges said the decision goes against school uniform policy granting schools leeway to decide what rules will govern it.
Khalifa the ruling has been misinterpreted.
“It was on grounds of technicalities. The Court of Appeal and High Court erred in introducing matters that were not in the original petition,” he said. Khalifa called for proper procedure in filing the case in High Court for religious rights to be protected.
In September 2016, the appeal court overturned an earlier ruling by the High Court that had banned hijabs in public schools.
The three-judge bench said students should be allowed to wear religious items of clothing in addition to their specified school uniforms.
Methodist Church went to court complaining that the move by the county education office permitting Muslims girls to wear hijab and white trousers had created disparity among students.
Yesterday SC ruling stated: “As such we found that both superior courts violated the Petitioner’s right to be heard.”
“We also find that the cross-petition was improperly before the High Court and ought to have been introduced by an interested party and in that light, it should not and could not have been entertained by the Court of Appeal, neither court having proper jurisdiction to do so.”
Khalifa said religious discrimination works in favor of extremist groups and should be avoided at all cost.
He said militants like Al Shabaab will take advantage and start luring the victims.
“The link between attires and studies have no national importance. Christian and Muslims have been in harmony and let schools not disrupt this,” he said, noting majoring of Muslims have been schooled by their Christian counterparts.
Rahma Gulam a muslim women grassroot leader said hijab keeps off preying eyes.
Gulam said favoring of one community will only polarize the country further.
Ayub Mshefa,a muslim faithful and a parent said rules laid down by learning institution on dressing code should be followed.
Mshefa said if we indulge the debate of religion dressing code in learning institutions we are going to polarize education foundations laid down.
Mshefa said if the schools allow ever student to dress on his or her religious basis then there will be a cocktail of uniforms in schools thus diluting the school dressing code.