NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 28 – Legislators will now embark on investigations on the alleged reports of Daystar University promoting LGBTQ in their curriculum and forcing Muslim students to attend the Chapel contrary to their rights on freedom of religion.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula directed the Education Committee led by Tinderet Member of Parliament Julius Melly to conduct the inquiry with Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to appear before the committee within 14 days.
Wetangula also directed Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu to deploy his team for a fact-finding mission at Daystar University to establish the truth on the matter.
“Go and find out these allegations. I’ll direct the clerk to avail you the hansard report of what Nyali MP Mohammed Ali has said. You will be at liberty to also call the member and discuss with him and appear before the committee of education,” Wetangula directed.
Nyali MP Mohammed Ali had raised the question over the allegation of malpractices in Daystar University following complaints into the alleged practice of withholding marks by the University from the said students who opt out of attending Chapel.
“What Daystar university is doing is wrong. And I want to ask the CS education, to make sure that they do a follow up on this case, only option for Daystar university is to make sure that their policies are within the constitution,” stated Ali.
In his response to the questions before the house, CS Machogu alluded that no student within the higher learning institution was denied marks for failing to attend religious services.
The Education Boss who cited a statement from the university management which explained that upon admission, students sign a code of conduct, by which they agreed to abide by the university’s Christian values and commitment.
“The university has also indicated that it is students are required by policy to attend at least 75% of all scheduled chapel services in any given semester. However they have denied that release of marks is conditional on attending the services,” Machogu said.
The Education Cabinet Secretary revealed he has directed the State Department for Higher Education and Research to immediately undertake an audit of the Daystar University policies and ensure that corrective action is taken.
Citing numerous complaints, MP Ali visited Daystar University to ascertain the truth on the complaints raised where he established that indeed Muslim students were being forced to attend the chapel.
“Christian student is at liberty to go and get his education from a Muslim university, but no students will be forced to go to a chapel or either to go into a to a mosque to pray. I call this response fake, they are trying to hide under the policy,” he said.
The second time lawmaker also urged the Ministry of Education to be on the alert claiming the LGBTQ agenda is subtly being penetrated in school’s curriculum.
How does the university give out an assignment of telling the students to go and do something on LGBTQ? Mr. Speaker, there are many universities not only Daystar universities,” Ali stated.