THE Kwara State government has approved the use of Muslim headgear, also known as Hijab, for female students in public schools.
This is contained in a statement titled ‘Position of Kwara State Government on the Hijaab Question in Public Schools’ signed by Mamma Jibril, secretary to the state government, on Thursday.
According to Jibril, the government position was that Muslim students should be allowed to wear Hijab in all grant-aided public schools in the state.
“Consequently, the government hereby acknowledges and approves the right of the Muslim schoolgirl to wear the hijab, and directs the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to come up with a uniform hijab for all public/ grant-aided schools, which will be the accepted mode of head covering in schools.
Read also: Kwara communities battle flood, erosion but Ecology Project Office refuses to account for N1.1bn (1)
“Any willing schoolgirl with the approved (uniform) hijab shall have the right to wear same in public/grant-aided schools. Also, the government affirms the right of every child in public schools to freedom of worship,” the statement read in part
Jibril also noted that the affected schools should reopen to commence classes on Monday, 8th of March 2021.
The state government further urged the two faith communities (Muslim and Christian), especially the leaders, opinion moulders, and media personalities, to act with restraint and great responsibility in their public utterances and actions and continue to live in peace and harmony with one another.
The ICIR had reported that the Kwara State government had ordered the closure of 10 schools in the ongoing crisis over the use of Hijab in some Christian-founded schools.
Some principals of schools in Kwara State had banned the use of Hijab in their schools, resulting in clashes between the Muslim and Christian communities in the state.
The schools affected in the ongoing crisis include: Cherubim and Seraphim (C&S) College, Sabo Oke; St. Anthony College, Offa Road; ECWA School, Oja Iya; Surulere Baptist Secondary School, and Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam.
Others are: Christ Apostolic Church Secondary School, Asa Dam; St. Barnabas Secondary School, Sabo Oke; St. John School, Maraba; St. William Secondary School, Taiwo Isale; and St. James Secondary School, Maraba.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94