Schools are not allowed to send any student home if they do not want to participate in religious activities organized by the respective school.
This is according to Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Dr. Brij Lal after a student from a Suva school was told to find another school after she did not take part in a religious activity.
Dr. Brij Lal said under the education act, no school is allowed to send any student home if they do not attend the religious activity.
Dr. Lal said even if schools design consent forms during enrolment period they however cannot force a student’s participation in the schools religious activities.
He said the schools primary focus should be academic.
Story by: Filipe Naikaso