JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (ADV) – The Kenyan Supreme Court has quashed an appeal court ruling in 2016 which said Muslim students could wear the hijab to school, Africanews.com has reported.
“The education CS should consider formulating and putting into place regulations, after due consultations, for the better protection of the fundamental right to freedom of religion and belief as well as equality and discrimination for all pupils and students in Kenya’s education system,” the sitting judges said.
According to Africanews.com the top court based its ruling on the fact that the head covers contravened the school uniform code. The Appeal Court ruling at the time overturned a 2015 verdict by a high court that banned the measure.
The legal challenge was spearheaded by St. Paul’s Kiwanjani Secondary, a Methodist Church run school in Isiolo County as they were aggrieved by an earlier sanction by the country’s education directorate saying Muslim students in the school can wear hijab and white trousers, which is against their school rules.
The High Court in May 2015 ruled that the directive allowing the wearing of hijab in the school was illegal and discriminatory.
The Appeal Court in its ruling at the time ordered the education directorate of the country to ensure the creation of new rules on school uniforms and not to discriminate against students based on religion.
© Bur-JHB – M.C – African Daily Voice (ADV) – Follow us on Twitter : @ADVinfo_en
