The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has rejected the schedule of the 2020 West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).
The Muslim group said the schedule clashed with "the designated time for Muslims’ Friday prayers. The WASSCE examinations will begin on Monday, August 17.
Reacting to the released timetable, MURIC said some of the subjects clash with the Jumua’ah (Friday) prayers, according to a statement by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement reads: “WAEC is deliberately creating a wedge between young Muslims and the mosque. A quick glance at the timetable recently released by WAEC shows that there are at least three clashes between examination periods and Muslim prayers on Fridays: Management-in-Living (2 pm, Friday 14th August, 2020); Literature-in-English (2 pm, Friday 21st August); Health Science (1.30 pm, Friday, 4th September)."
MURIC noted that it had earlier released a press statement reminding the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to ensure that the timetable does not clash with Friday prayers. The group, however, said WAEC ignored the statement.
"These are papers that Muslim candidates are also expected to take. The implications are very serious.
“WAEC is deliberately creating a wedge between young Muslims and the mosque. WAEC is making it impossible for Muslim youth to worship. The examination body is encroaching upon Allah-given fundamental rights of Muslim candidates to access freedom of religion as guaranteed by Section 38 (i) & (ii) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," MURIC added.
The group, therefore, called the attention of the federal government and the Ministry of Education to the issue.
“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. Muslim candidates must be given three hours every Friday. This is non-negotiable. Nigerian Muslims will liberate themselves from slavery, serfdom and religious apartheid if government is lackadaisical. The only thing MURIC opposes is violence.
“Our message to WAEC is very clear and simple: ‘We warned you early enough but you decided to dare Nigerian Muslims with your satanic timetable. We are returning it ‘back to sender’.
