Nkawie SHS allegedly denies Muslim girl admission over hijab

Authorities of Nkawie Senior High Technical School in the Ashanti Region have been accused of denying admission to an eighteen-year-old girl over insistence to wear her hijab, the Islamic veil.

Nafisatu Billy Yussif in an interview with Accra-based Citi News' regional reporter, Hafiz Tijani, said she had to truncate her admission procedures when some teachers insisted that she removed her veil.

This is despite the fact that she had been duly allotted a slot in the institution by the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS).

“When I got to the school, I was told by some teachers that I’ll have to take off my veil, and that the school is not a Muslim school. I went ahead to fill in the necessary documents to register. While at it, I was asked to take off my veil in order to take a passport picture.

“I told them I can’t do that because it is against my religion. So, I had to leave without completing my admission process,” Nafisatu added.

Her brother, Abdul Mumin Yussif, called on the school authorities to reverse their decision citing constitutional provisions that guarantee freedom of worship.

“This is the third time I am coming here after she was denied admission, and I keep getting the same feedback. We are calling on the government and the Ministry of Education to come in.

"We are entitled to freedom of worship as enshrined in the constitution. The school’s laws cannot override that of the nation,” he stressed.

The report further cited an anonymous school official who dismissed the allegation explaining that the school allowed Muslim girls to put on the veil only during prayers.

The development comes at a time when there is an ongoing debate around Achimota School's decision to refuse admission to two Rastafarian students.

The hijab issue is a recurring one that Muslims have sought to put to rest over the years. In October 2019, a peaceful protest dubbed 'Hijab Is My Identity' was held to drive home demands for Muslims to be allowed to wear head scarves in schools and at work places.