Catholic church closes 7 schools in Mangochi over hijab impasse with radical Muslims

The Catholic church has closed seven public schools it owns in Ntaja area in Machinga after a radical Muslim organisation went on the prowl, forcing students to put on hijab and threatening to burn down the schools if the church resisted.

Mangochi education diocesan secretary  Felix Masamba said a radical Muslim grouping called Hijab Task Force was invading the schools, telling every girl to put on a hijab in classes.

“They are threatening to destroy the schools if the girls are not allowed to put on a hijab so we have temporarily suspended the classes to allow discussions on the matter between the Muslims Association of Malawi, the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and the government,” he said.

Masamba said as owners of the school, the Catholic church wants all girls to put on school uniforms, not the religious dress code.

“They have been issuing all sorts of threats, including violent protests, this is why we thought we need to give dialogue a chance,” he said.

There was no immediate comment from the grouping or the Muslim Association of Malawi.