Hijab: Kwara Govt Suspends 10 Schools for safety

Hijab: Kwara Govt Suspends 10 Schools for safety

  
The Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development has suspended resumption of students and teachers in 10 government schools over controversy in the use of hijaab.
 

The decision was taken for safety reasons. 

 
A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, listed the schools to include C&S College Sabo Oke, ST. Anthony College, Offa Road, ECWA School, Oja Iya, Surulere Baptist Secondary School, Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam, CAC Secondary School Asa Dam road, St. Barnabas Secondary School Sabo Oke, St. John School Maraba, St. Williams Secondary School Taiwo Isale, and St. James Secondary School Maraba.

“The government therefore directs schoolchildren and teachers in the affected schools to remain at home until the contrary is announced. The government remains committed to fairness, pluralism, and respect for the law and rights of every citizen at all times,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, a top officer in the educational sector gave background to the controversy and the current status of mission schools that have been taken over by the government.

Pleading anonymity, the scholar told PRNigeria how the military government ordered the takeover of private schools in 1974.

He said: “the then military Governor of Kwara state Col. David Bamigboye complied and took over private schools including mission schools. Part of what is creating the confusion today is that in Kwara state unlike in other states in Northern Nigeria, the names of the schools were not changed.

“In Kaduna, Queens of Apostles College became Queen Amina College, St John’s became Rimi College, St Paul’s became Kufena College, the Muslim owned Sheikh Shabah college became Sardauna Memorial College, etc.

“Christian associations in Kwara State took the Kwara State Government to court about five year ago to get the schools returned to them. They lost the case to the State government at the High Court and the Court of Appeal. The court also ruled that it is the legal right of Muslim girls to wear hijab to government owned schools. Bishop Smith was one of the schools that were taken over by government,” he concluded.

By PRNigeria