Girl denied Form One admission for having long hair.
A student in Elgeyo-Marakwet has been denied admission to a secondary school for having long hair.
Ruth
Jemutai Kongin, 14, who scored 356 marks and earned herself a place at
Metkei Girls Secondary School, was turned away by the administration for
her long hair which she says she cannot cut because of her religious
beliefs.
The school’s rules do not allow students to keep long hair.
The
girl is a member of the Kenya Local Bible Believers church which does
not permit women and girls to shave their hair for any reason.
She was turned away on February 6, 2014 even after paying her fees in full.
Her
parents sought the intervention of County Director of Education Sabina
Aroni who personally took the student to the school Wednesday but failed
to make any headway.
PRINCIPAL UNAVAILABLE
“I
have been here for more than four hours seeking to talk to the
principal but shockingly, she left a message with her deputy that the
student should not be admitted,” Ms Aroni said.
She said the principal had broken the law and she would subsequently advise the Teachers Service Commission on the issue.
The girl’s mother, Ms Dorcas Kongin, said her daughter’s hair has never been cut.
“Our
Christian beliefs and teachings tell us to keep our hair long as
clearly spelled out in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 11:14-15 categorically
states hair is a woman’s covering and shaving it is a disgrace to God,”
she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment