Kirinyaga School on the spot for serving pork to Muslim students

A public national school in Kirinyaga County has been accused of deliberately providing meals containing pork to Muslim students contrary to their faith.

Baricho Boys High School is alleged to provide pork as part of the school menu to Muslim students without their knowledge.

The institution has a farm where pigs are being reared and later slaughtered and served to the students.

Parents in the school which is sponsored by the Catholic Church have raised their concerns over what they said ”brainwash- ing” and forced religious indoctrination of their children adding that the school was infringing on the rights of students as it was a public facility which was being funded by the tax payer’s money.

”We are disturbed by the constant com are taken to church forcefully and taught Christian Religious Education (CRE) and also fed on pork meat ,” said one parent who opted to remain anonymous.

Muslim parents say they are not happy with the school Principal for accepting to slaughter pigs as change of the students’ diet something they claim is against their faith, accusing the school administration of not being receptive to their concerns.

The consumption of pork as well as the flesh of dead animals and donkey meat are among the foods forbidden for Mus- lims.

Effort to reach the school Principal Be- nard Kingah Mwangi for comment was fruitless as his phone had been switched off.

The Muslim Education Council (MEC) Executive director, Munawar Khan condemned the act saying it was an affront to the rights of the students and that the school ought to respect all people’s faith. “What the school administration is doing is grossly wrong, you cannot deliberately feed Muslim students with pork contrary to their religious beliefs. This is an insult and we will not take the matter lightly,” said Munawar.

Munawar accused the school administra- tion for acting in bad faith and not cooperat- ing to address the worrying trend stressing that the council will ensure the rights of the Muslim students are respected.

The MEC Executive director regretted that cases of religious intolerance in schools are on the rise and called on the Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha to intervene and end the vices for conducive learning environment.