Yao chief wants Malawi govt intervention over Hijab stand-off in Christian run public schools
A powerful Yao chief has asked for government intervention over hijab stand-off in Christian run public schools which has led to prolonged closure of the schools.
Paramount Chief Kawinga has pleaded with government to act swiftly on a standoff over dress code between Christian and Muslim run schools in Machinga.
He says schools such as Mpiri Roman Catholic Primary School remain closed owing to the misunderstanding.
Deputy Minister of Education, Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa, says the issue is being handled by quasi-religious body, Public Affair Committee.
She said government is preaching “equity, inclusivity, access and quality of education for every child.”
“What it means is that a child in Machinga should get the same education which a child in Dowa or Blantyre is getting,” she said.
She expressed concern that there is limited infrastructure in most education institutions in the country.
At Mpiri, authorities and Muslim communities continue to disagree on wearing of Hijab by learners.
Radical Muslims want their daughters to put on hijabs while in school, but Christians are refusing this dress code in their school campus.
Let me tell this Yau chief to understand. Christians don’t bother you with your schools uniforms. This is a Roman catholic church primary school. They didn’t discriminate any child to get their education. They want a child to adhere to their dressing code. Why small kids have to be used for religious victory. The primary school must open and kids must observe the dressing code of the school. Remember, Malawi has more Christians than Muslims. But Muslims try to detect everything to go the muslim way. Look what is happening in Mozambique. Of Muslims were majority in malawi…we could have been subjected to sharia law. They don’t care about others
Fellow Catholics, let us just take our schools and hospitals back from government. Let us run them as private schools and private hospitals. Awa asilamuwa atichedwetsa!!!!
First and foremost let us set the record clear. The school mentioned is indeed owned by Catholics but it is run by government following the nationalization of religious run schools by Dr. Kamuzu Banda sometime back.
When we say nationalization we mean these institutions is controlled by the government. Teachers and many resources at provided by the government and not the Church.
If these institutions were privately owned by the Church then surely the Muslims wouldn’t have a case but the fact that these are public schools then surely their arguements are valid.
To cut the story short if indeed the Catholics don’t want Muslims or hijabs to be worn in their schools then they should take them from the government and made them private that will be it.
But as long as they are public schools (Government owned) then they can’t win this case.
It’s double standards for the Yao chief……..the question is why do muslins want their daughters to put on a hijab in a Christian school when they force Christian students in Islamic schools to follow Islamic rituals……..zisamakomele mbuzi kugunda galu.
Catholics are not allowed to put on their corona in Islamic schools so why should muslins put on their hijabs in a catholic school?
the chief himself has no brain, why fight for a catholic school. im a christian not catholic i had attended their school was obliged to follow their instructions. muslims can built their own school n freely practice their religion.
My fellow Malawians,
Be civilized please..I don’t see any reason why a girl must not wear Hijab…hijab can at all effect other non hijab student/girls.
Education will be the same.
Kukangana nkhani ya ziii…find anthu any mwanena kuti school ndi ya catholic,very good,mind you,it’s in a majority Moslems place therefore,Romans as well must follow the community wishes.
I Nixon Noordin Mzakwacha,request Catholic authorities,Government to allow our daughter dress in hijab,they look beautiful and is sunnat.
I will even write Government speaker on that.
Salam Aleikum,
DURBAN
KwaZulu NaTaL
+27724922299
Akulu! Mmesa munamanga masukulu anu otchedwa Madrassah! Dzikavalani ma hijan momasuka kumeneko!
Build your own schools simple. That’s a religious school not Govt school. All what you know is building mizikiti pamene anzanu akumanga ma school…. Kagwereni uko. Buyi buyi kwanu
True all the way but school owners have their own rules which must be observed. Don’t impose your wishes against set requirements otherwise go elsewhere or a completely government funded school.
Exactly, it should just be a free choice. No obligation for muslims or non muslims at the school. The hijab anyway is a modern fashion and was actually not that popular in Islam in the past
a YAO penapakenso hiyaaaa – mukuononga tsogolo la ana anu kumeneko. You dont dictate what the owners want. No trousers for girls, no trouser. No hijab for everyone, no hijab. Simple and straight forward. Ngati simukufuna auzen a Muslim Association akumangireni yanu kumeneko muzivala hijab
Come on this is just looking to cause problems where they shouldn’t exist.
Moslems please just build your own schools. You are holding back the childrens education just for the sake of winning an argument.
You have your own rules in your schools so why cant others have their rules in their schools. Paja ndi kuchimake Kwan makani
These Moslems are very selfish people. In their schools they force students from Christian families to be putting on hijab or whatever they call it. They don’t give students a chance to choose what to wear yet they want their students to be given a chance to choose what to wear in Christian schools! What a load of BS…
They should build there own schools simple… koma busy kumanga mizikiti kumangokuwa mudzi uliwonse…
By excluding hijab dressers, are not we being unchristian? I think Christ will welcome them, teach them praiseworthy values of impartial love, alleviate their inadequacy, thereby showing by deeds the true way of life worthy in the Kingdom of God. Invite leaders of other religions eg Sheiks to your solemn christian functions as well as local leaders such as this chief although they will not receive the Eucharist but God promises to grace where you convene such in good faith to His glory. If it is the problem of inadequate education of our own church leaders in the field of ecumenism let’s please address that aspect. His Holiness the Pope Francis was in Iraq recently preaching the message that fortifies the Catholic’s ecumenical efforts. Even St John XIII, the reknown Pope of peace, used means of inclusive dialogue in his tv address on 25 Oct 1962, the message which was widely broadcast across the whole world the next morning to the positive influence of helping avert a war between John F Kennedy USA and Nikita Krushchev Soviet Union and their respective allies during Cuban missile crisis. I am sure if Pope Francis came to Machinga today, he will ask to allow the hijab dressers attend Catholic schools freely and also ask that Islamic schools open up to allow pupils of different religions (except those institutions that are specialized for clerical formation equivalent of seminaries), he would do so at a dinner he would share with the local leader of islam
Simple really.
As a guest, you don’t dictate to the host what you want otherwise you leave, without bothering others, and have your own accommodation where you can do as you like.
This is very true and I fail to understand how Moslems fail to know it
Nyasa times? Radical Muslims? Really? Just Muslims. Normal Muslims wear the headscarf, those are the basics, nothing radical about it
This is where we miss the point, schools referred to are not private schools, these are schools that use public resource and community contributions, therefore, it is not proper to force a child what to wear or not provided they are well fitting clothes. Sometimes I wonder a Christian owned private school allows children to put on hijub and the same with the other way round. Why do we find it hard to to resolve this problem. Some one somewhere knows the truth
They are owned by Roman catholics NOT government. Its public because every one is allowed to go there and that does not mean they are fully under government. Just follow what the owners want. If the owners say it is a GIRLS school, simumapanga makani kumatumizapo ma BOYS, not at all. Eni ake akamati no slipons koma nsapato zokha, follow that else mukamange school yanu
Sangamve mchawa uyu what it means. Iye osadabwa why the word Catholic is coming in?
It depend on which angle a commenter stands.In a plain language,a Christian wil say Muslims hv 2 follow the rules applied by the Catholic schools. A Muslim wil say Muslims hv a right to education lik any1 else n same time religious rules hv 2 b followed as well. As a Muslim Mangochi boi myslf I knw dt Machinga is a Muslims dominated district. In sayin so we as Muslims won’t accept a Catholic ppl come 2 our district, build schools n impose their rules on us in order to change our belief never. It wil neva happen. The sooner they wil stop building schools in Muslims dominated places the beta. Ngati akumanga ma school kuMachinga those schools r 4 Machinga ppl so dnt bring rules n impose on ppl. Wina wanena kuti if u go 2 Rome do wht Romans do. Samusani ma school anuwo mukamange ku Italy kapena ku Israel. I rest my case. Mangochi boi mbiiiteee
Mwakwiyatu. Kawerengeni malamulo a malo a dziko. Chipembedzo chiribe umwini wa Malo. Malo onse Pena Pali ponse ndi a Boma. A Roman Catholic kapena a Muslim akafuna kuti akhale ndi Malo oti akhale ndi mphamvu ndi umwini pa malopo, amakatenga title deed ku Boma ngakhalebe kuti ultimately malowo amakhalabe a Boma.
Well said Mwini muzi. Let me tell you this. Am frm Mangochi,Makanjira M’mudzi wa a Mdoka. I can tell u kuti If i can estimate i can say in my village during dt time was abt 99% Muslims. In our village a Catholic anamanga school of which I attended myslf.But they were also teaching us abt bible which was totally opposite 2 our belief. See 2day some Muslims r busy celebrating Christmas n Easters all is due 2 those teachings. My point is,imagine Christians go 2 Muslims dominated areas kumanga school des tell muslims not 2 wear hijab but u find dem wearing it, wht do they really want 2 impose on Muslims? inde wina wanena kuti mpingo does not own a place yes its true but 2 disconnect us frm our belief secretly won’t work dis time around I can guarantee u dt. Inu ife sitingalole simenezo. Either u call us names or not sitingalole. Count themselves lucky bcz it is happening in Machinga. Ku Mangochi school imeneyo kale kale itagumulidwa. Kwathu atha kupanga school but not dictating us 2 abandon our beliefs, big NEVER
The likes of you fooled one Bakili Muluzi since you vote for anything painted yellow. Get some education dummy.
Ur very stupid citizen
What a shallow argument. Muslims don’t own particular sections of the country.
Like radio maria in Mangochi this people they have big agenda
Mpiri primary school was once under father Parazin,muslim girls could put on hijaabs.Today this school is under a pure black Malawian and he claims to know more than the Catholics themselves.Kumalo uko ndikwa ayawoo asilamu tangotsekani scool yanuyo ena atsekula akufuna kwabwino kwaa ana achisilamu .
Kodi ikuphunzira ndi Hijab yo ?? th
Ngati kholo silikufuna malamulo a Sukuluzi, kulibwino liphunzitse lokha mwanayo. Tonse tikuziwanso zilango zoyenera kuperekedwa kwa kholo lolephera kupitisa/kuphunzitsa Sukulu mwana wake!
Hijab yo sizakhoza distinction!
Just build your own schools and make your own rules. Mbewa saotchela m’nyumba ya mwini…sorry paja mbewanso simudya.
There we go again! isn’t it fair to say that Christians have the right to determine the code of dressing in their schools, and like wise – Moslems in theirs? If the owner of anything sets up rules of how it has to be used or run, why is it so difficult to understand here? This stupidity is causing unnecessary waste of time, man!
Simple and straight forward issue .When your in Rome do what the Romans do.
And the irony kkkkkk it is a “Roman” catholic school. they should indeed do what romans do
Ubulutu basi
To make life easier for individual, if the school belongs to muslim funding plz allowe it bt if it belongs to Christian plz dnt fight something that doesn’t blong to u….
This is not about radical Muslims.
Head scarfs and head covering is accepted mode of dress for Muslim girls and women in US and various western countries.
Catholic nuns wear head covering which is very similar to what Muslim women and girls wear.
Muslims should rest easy His Holiness the Pope will put a stop to this nonsensical behaviour by catholic schools.
Those making comments without thought against Muslims risk alienating Muslim communities in the country and this will harm the unity and understanding between Malawians.
By the way Malawi is no Rome and we are not Romans.
The Yao Chief in this story needs to be commended for speaking up for his community.
Where is Atulepe and Muluzi? Why don’t they speak out. They act stone deaf. This was opportunity for Atuple and UDF to represent their supporters.
Yes!! In dz there is a school run by asilamu ufune usafune uvala hijab nanga iwowa vuto ndichani abale???
They are busy constructing Miziki instead of Schools. Awawuze Ma donors kuti ndalama za ananfedwa ku Iraq, Syria ndi Iran zizimanga Masukulu akufunawo.
Hahahahahah! koma ada, ndiye mwati ndalama za anamfedwa?
You should be ashamed of your self. People like you with your hatred for Muslims breeds and feds radicals who do not represent the majority of peaceful loving Muslims. Your views are thank God are not shared by a majority of Christians in Malawi. Be minded not to breed hate.
Denying a child access to education because of religious dressing is a worst form of bigotry and ignorance. This should not be happening in the 21st century. I am Christian, there is nothing harmful or offensive about a hijab, in fact, it is modest and admirable dressing for any decent woman. Yes, Christians can make own rules about dressing code in their own institutions . However, this is one ridiculous ..rule we can do without. Remember apartheid in South Africa was also protected by laws but did not mean it was right.
they should just build their own. if not they should sign an agreement that Christians in moslem schools will not be forced to wear hijab basi
Exactly
You radical reporter. So the Catholics nuns who always put on the veil are radicals?