Kenya’s Supreme Court has overturned an 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 to govern school attires.
The ruling of the court means that Muslim girls will be forced to take lessons without their Islamic veil, an affront to the fundamental teachings of Islam.
The rather controversial ruling is likely to open a legal debate and court suits as Islamic institutions and parents view the ruling as an affront to student’s basic constitutional right.
The decision which was overturned was in relation to a school in Isiolo called St Paul’s Kiwanjani secondary which is sponsored by the Methodist church.
Previously, 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 then said students should be allowed to wear religious items of clothing in addition to their specified school uniforms.
In the previous court decision, the bench ruled that students deserved to obey their religious requirements in accordance with their constitutional rights, which must be respected and protected.
Methodist Church went to court complaining that the move by the county education office permitting Muslims girls to wear hijab had created disparity among students.
In a triumph for the church, the court in a majority decision on Thursday said the ruling by the Appellate Court was against the school uniform policy.
