KWARA: Schools’ resumption cancelled to prevent crisis over hijab – Govt

THE state government has announced that the 10 schools shut over Hijab controversy in the state will not resume today as earlier scheduled.

The development was made known to the public by the statement issued by the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.

The statement read, in part, ” The government wishes to inform members of the public that the 10 government schools where the use of hijaab is disputed will remain shut until a later date.”

Explaining why the government made a U-turn on the decision to resume today, the statement stated that the move “has been taken for safety reasons.”

The 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

The Kwara state government had earlier shut ten schools in the state following a crisis that ensued over wearing of hijab by Muslim female students attending Christian mission grant-aided schools.

But days later the government approved the use of hijab by the Muslim female students and ordered the schools to resume today

But the state’s chapter of  Christian Association of Nigeria kicked against the government’s move insisting not to allow the female students to wear hijab.

The said it would encourage discrimination in the school and make christian students easy targets for terrorists.

The statement read in part: “The body condemns the use of hijab in Christian missions grant-aided schools as this will cause discrimination in schools and allow terrorists to easily identify our children and wards.

“We have equal rights under the provisional constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”