UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN SECONDARY SCHOOL SHUT OVER HIJAB CRISIS

Penpushing further reports that, as at the time of  development some of the students and teachers were seen discussing the issue at the entrance of their classrooms, while some of the students were also seen roaming about the school premises while talking to newsmen said that they were ready to be taught but the classes have been shut.

The Principal of the School, Mrs. Phebean Olowe while speaking on the development said that she was not ready to address journalist, explaining that it was only the school Management Board headed by the DVC (Academic), University of Ibadan, Professor Yinka Aderinto who can speak on the matter.

Penpushing further reports that Balogun who spoke on behalf of the concerned parents while addressing journalists said he was surprised that the school was shut because the Muslim female students wear Hijab to the school.

Balogun accompanied by other parents added that the decision of the school to cancel the assembly and classes because some female Muslim students wear the Hijab was contrary to section 7 (1-8) of the school rules and regulations which has to do with the dress code in the school.

“I am a parent of ISI. I am here to drop my children. We gave the school notification that in line with the constitution in all ramifications be it the school rules and regulations, norms and constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria that our daughters should be made to wear Hijab.

The parent  reiterated further that he was surprised and shocked that classes were shut and assembly was also cancelled because students wear Hijab, adding  that, “I don’t know the correlation between the two, students wear Hijab and the classes were shut. We will not accept anything until our daughters are allowed to wear Hijab.

He stressed that he want his daughters to be wearing Hijab because there is nothing that says that they cannot wear it even the school rules and regulations.

“Go and check page four, section 7 (1 to 8) of the ISI rules and regulations that has to do with dressing code, there is nothing there that forbid a Muslim girl from wearing the Hijab. So, wearing Hijab is in conformity with the school rules and regulations and the extant law. We are here as law abiding citizens, you can see that, this is one of the parents, these are parents, we want out daughters to be wearing Hijab”.

Penpushing recalled that, the Director of Public Communications, University of Ibadan, Toye Oladejo when asked to comment on the issue said he was not aware of the incidents.

It would be recalled that some parents under the umbrella of International School Ibadan Muslim Parents Forum in a letter entitled “Notification of Muslim parents’ resolution on Hijab for our Muslim girls in ISI”, signed by Alhaji Abdurrahman Balogun addressed to the principal of the school, Mrs. Phebean Olowe, argued that “Hijab wearing for young Muslim girls, apart from the fact that it is part of their religious belief, is part of their God given fundamental human right as well as the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.