SDA church thanks atheists for standing with their members

The Seventh Day Adventist Church on Friday reached out to the Atheists in Kenya Society, thanking Harrison Mumia for showing solidarity with SDA members who were suspended from Kabianga High School for skipping exams.

In the letter written by First Elder Arap Too, the SDA church said that the learners had already been recalled and it was partly due to the noise made by atheists regarding the matter.

“Our pastor, elders and entire leadership of the SDA church at Syokimau Airport View wish to most sincerely thank you for showing solidarity with our members who are learners at Kabianga High School, Kericho County.

“We are happy to inform you that through God’s intervention and with the kind effort of your group and others, the learners are back to school,” read the statement in part.

The 17 Form four students had been suspended after refusing to sit for their examination on Sabbath.

In a letter addressed to the parents of the affected students, the school Principal Dr Joash Oloo stated that the students were kicked out of the school for "failing to write an assessment test offered on schedule.”

But the students in a quick rejoinder through their lawyer, Julius Mongare Matonya, gave the school's administration a seven-day ultimatum to unconditionally rescind the decision.

"The constitutional allows freedom of worship. Even the Education Act recognises the fact that each and every student must be allowed a day for worship and it must be respected," he said.

But Dr Oloo argued that they had expected that parents keen on their children's education would have immediately accompanied their sons back to school.

"We notified the parents through SMS. In a situation where we are neither suspending nor expelling a student, we expect the parent to come over to the school so that we can engage," he said.

He reminded the Adventists that there are specific missionary schools for parents who feel aggrieved by the school action.

The students were later recalled after an amicable solution was arrived at with their parents.