Four Jehovah’s Witnesses parents and guardians of pupils attending the Anglican Church-owned Arundel School have filed a constitutional application against the school’s decision to compel every student to attend religious sessions at the institution.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
The four parents, Amos Makani, Mbiri Shiripinda, Plaxedes Chipangura and Daniel Sakupwanya, are arguing that their children can only attend church sessions in The Kingdom Halls which are different from other religious buildings and chapels such as the one at Arundel School.
The four argued that when they enrolled at the school, their circumstances were well-known and the previous school head had allowed them not to attend the Anglican Church-led sessions.
They said the situation only changed after a new school head was appointed who then was trying to compel every student to attend.
At one point the school authorities and the parents failed to agree leading to the school head temporarily expelling the four students who were later saved by the intervention of the courts.
In their arguments, the four argued it was improper for the school to discriminate others on the basis of their religious beliefs, adding it was a violation of their children’s rights.
“The applicants’ daughters have over the years, and particularly during the tenure of the previous head for the school been allowed to refrain from attending Chapel meetings on grounds of religion. This to the best of my knowledge affected the smooth functioning of the school,” read part of the application filed by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
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The parents said their daughters have also not been affected in their studies by their failure to attend Chapel services generally dominated by the Anglican denomination.
“In early 2015, a new headmistress was appointed to head the school and replaced the previous head. The head then sought to introduce compulsory Chapel attendances for all students. She indicated that she was going to ‘re-inforce collegiality in the school’ and that all pupils will be required to attend Chapel,” the application read.
“Collegiality, as far as the applicants know, is a concept that is alien to their beliefs as the Witnesses of Jehovah. They do not believe in it. They do not wish to have it applied to their daughters. It is common cause that the Chapel is a place of worship in the school. The headmistress was in essence therefore saying that all students would be required to attend worship.”
According to the court papers, the headmistress tried to force the four parent’s daughters to attend Chapel but when they refused they were expelled only to be reinstated after the High Court issued an interim interdict order.
The four submitted the school’s action was a direct breach of the Education Act which prohibited such discrimination and a breach of freedom of religion among others.
