MURIC, which is the Muslim Rights Concern has strongly rejected the schedule that has been set for the 2020 West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations saying it is satanic. The group stated that the supposed schedule collides with the time stipulated for the Muslim Friday prayers. Recall that the WASSCE begins on Monday, August 17.
In a statement by MURIC director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, MURIC said the timetable was deliberately created by WAEC to bring a wedge between Muslim students and the mosque. A copy of the timetable shows that at least three subjects happen on the same day and time schedule with the time of the examination and Muslim prayers between examination periods and Muslim prayers on Fridays, the subjects are; Management-in-Living which starts by 2 pm on Friday 14th August 2020, Literature-in-English which starts at 2 pm on Friday 21st August; and Health Science starting by 1.30 pm on Friday, 4th September.
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MURIC further said in the statement that they had earlier written to The West African Examination Council, WAEC to make sure the timetable for the examination does not clash with the Muslim Friday prayers but they ignored their plea. The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC said the implications are extremely big. Still, in the statement, Section 38 (i) & (ii) of Nigeria’s Constitution was referred to, saying that WAEC is stepping on the fundamental rights given by Allah, the right to access freedom of religion, and denying the Muslim students the right to worship.
The group, however, called on the Ministry of Education and the Federal Government to come to intervene quickly on the matter. MURIC also threatened an impending action from Muslim WAEC candidates if the timetable is not adjusted. One of the areas needing attention according to MURIC is that the candidates should be given at least three hours every Friday before they can come to write the exam stating it as non-negotiable.
“WAEC is therefore invited to take notice of impending action by Muslim candidates unless it adjusts its timetable to accommodate Muslim Jumu‘ah service during the coming examinations.
Three hours should be given to the candidates willing to go for the Muslim Friday prayers. This is non-negotiable. Nigerian Muslims will free themselves from any form of slavery, and religious apartheid if the government is does nothing about it. The only thing MURIC strongly stands against is violence. The message sent to WAEC through MURIC simply states that the examination body has been warned but they didn’t heed to the warning, so they are returning it ‘back to sender’.
