Supkem wants policies to guide return of schools
A file photo of Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims former chairman Abdulghafur Al Busaidy with new chair Yusuf Nzibo and Mudhar Kitamy of the coastal region. The council wants proper laws on management of faith-based organisations. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims on Wednesday called for establishment of proper policies and amendment of relevant laws to ensure faith-based organisations are returned to the respective religious bodies that established them.
National deputy chairman and head of strategy and partnership, Al-Hajj Hassan ole Naado, said the government took over the schools following the enactment of the Education Act, 1968, which sought to implement the recommendations of the Kenya Education Commission headed by Prof Simeon Ominde.
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“The council takes note of the fact that following the recommendations of the Ominde Commission, faith-based organisations were asked to surrender the schools to the government and were designated as sponsors,” he said.
Due to this, Mr Naado added, the faith-based organisations were turned to providing pastoral care, offering financial and infrastructural support, and having representatives on school boards and participating in the appointment of school principals.
He said that subsequent reviews of the Education Act in 2011 and 2013 changed those roles.
“In this regard, it will require relevant amendments to the law in order to enforce the President's directive on reverting management and ownership of these schools to the respective establishing religious organisations,” the Supkem official said.
On Tuesday, President Kenyatta directed the Ministry of Education to revert management of the faith-based organisations to churches that established them.
Following the order, Mr Naado asked Muslim organisations that established schools but surrendered them to the government to get in touch with the Supkem secretariat to provide an inventory of the institutions.
