Suspension of SDA students who refused to sit exams revoked

Kericho County Director of Education Zachary Mutwiri has revoked the suspension of 17 form, four students, at Kabianga High school. 

Muwtiri told Standard Digital that four of the students have already reported back to the school. 

The move comes hours after the Atheist in Kenya Society threatened to sue the school if the suspension was not revoked in seven days.

“We are giving the school seven days to have the boys back to school or we seek legal redress on the matter,” said the society’s president Harrison Mumia in a letter addressed to the school's principal Mr Joash Oloo.

The students who are adherents of the  Seventh Day Adventist Church were suspended after refusing to sit for examination on Sabbath.

But the students in a quick rejoinder through their lawyer, Julius Mongare Matonya, gave the school's administration a seven-day ultimatum to unconditionally rescind the decision.

"The constitutional allows freedom of worship. Even the Education Act recognises the fact that each and every student must be allowed a day for worship and it must be respected," he said.

Justifying the school’s action, the principal said he expected the students to be rational and take the exam because they do not have any religious activities on the Sabbath.

"The Seventh Day Adventist students don’t do anything on Saturdays from 8am to 6pm. Where then is the problem for them to sit for their examination between 5am and 7:30am," asked Dr Oloo.

But Matonya argued Dr Oloo off, saying the issue of seventh-day Adventist students was a matter which has been settled in a number of cases in the past culminating in the Civil Appeal No 172 of 2014.

The matter had elicited mixed reactions on social networks.