Maseeha Saloojee, Syria, writes:
For the last three and a half years I have been a humanitarian aid worker and educator working amongst the refugees, widows and orphans in war-torn Syria.
I am also a proud ex-matriculant of Hoërskool Warmbad.
Browsing the internet a couple of days ago, I came across an article in the Saturday Star regarding learners at Jeppe Girls High who are fighting for the right to express themselves as Muslims, together with being identified as Jeppe High school learners.
As such, it allowed me to reflect on the privilege I was blessed with in 1996 when I was allowed entry into Laerskool Warmbad during primary school years and thereafter Hoërskool Warmbad.
Under the leadership of the late Mr Beukes, the then principal of Laerskool Warmbad, as Muslim girls and the first non-whites to attend the school, my sisters and I were permitted to wear a trouser underneath our school dresses and eventually scarves which matched the school colours.
My oldest sister later went on to be the first Muslim girl to attend Hoërskool Warmbad with a trouser underneath her skirt, a conces-sion that was made by Mr Robertse and the board of governors in 1999 when she started high school. Having worn a headscarf in primary school, I could not face the thought of removing it when I started high school and thus, I was permitted to wear the headscarf in 2003 by Mr Van Jaarsveld who was principal at the time.
I took a few years off school in between during which I did an in depth study of Islam and started wearing the face veil. However, I later wished to complete my schooling career and therefore, my mother, Sharine Saloojee, applied to the school for permission for me to attend with the face veil. Spikkels de Wet was the principal at the time and along with the chairman of the governing body, Dr Roelof Coertze, and the advice of the previous principal, they welcomed me back to the school, allowing me to wear my face veil, along with the school uniform and a robe.
As such, I would like to express my gratitude to all individuals who accommodated and supported us at Laerskool Warmbad and Hoërskool Warmbad, most especially those whose names I have mentioned, for allowing us to gain an education and be part of the school without having to compromise our Islamic morals and values. The 6 A’s which I achieved in matric would not have been possible without their open-minded acceptance and excellent tutelage. It was also the year that Hoërskool Warmbad boasted 43 A’s amongst seven learners.
May Almighty protect and reward all those who assisted in making my education successful and continue to make these two schools examples of goodness and strength to those who do not abide by the laws of the constitution which expressly permit freedom of religion coupled with identification as a school learner.
Thank you Laerskool Warmbad and Hoërskool Warmbad!
